Liverpool can secure the signing of Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola with a bid in the region of £111m to £128m, according to reports in the French press. The Reds are also said to have agreed personal terms with Brighton forward Yankuba Minteh after two offers were turned down.
Andoni Iraola's first game as Reds manager ended in a 2-2 draw at St James' Park against Newcastle United, with new signing Victor Munoz winning a penalty that Dominik Szoboszlai converted in the 99th minute. Liverpool had fallen behind to an Anthony Elanga strike after five minutes, saw Cody Gakpo equalise with a long-range effort, then conceded again to Joe Willock before the late rescue.
Barcola left out of PSG squad
Barcola, 23, has been omitted from PSG's squad for two recent matches, casting doubt over his future. According to RMC Sport, Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye, 18, another player linked with a Liverpool move, will not feature in the club's fixtures until their situations are clarified. Both were left out of the French Super Cup loss to Lens and the Ligue 1 opener at Rennes.
Liverpool have pursued the French international for most of the summer, with PSG reportedly seeking more than £140m. The Reds are unwilling to meet that figure, but a bid of £111m to £128m might clinch the agreement. Barcola has 39 goals in 152 appearances for the back-to-back Champions League winners and is believed to be eager to join Iraola's side.
Minteh agrees personal terms
Yankuba Minteh has reportedly reached personal terms with Liverpool after the Reds had two offers for the Brighton winger rejected. An initial £50m proposal was turned down last week, and a second bid raised by £10m was also refused. The Reds remain committed to completing a deal for the Gambian international before the transfer window closes.
The former Newcastle United winger, who never played a game for the Magpies but moved to the south coast after an impressive loan season with Feyenoord, has 10 goals in 73 appearances for Brighton. Football transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano stated that while "Bradley Barcola is the priority," Minteh "has already agreed personal terms with Liverpool." He added that the player "dreams" of moving to Anfield and is waiting for the clubs to agree a fee.
With Curtis Jones having departed to Inter Milan, sporting director Richard Hughes has eight days left to provide Iraola with the players needed to compete for silverware this season.
