Liverpool have reportedly reached an agreement in principle to sign Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola. According to The Athletic, the move will cost the Reds a fee in the region of £120m, with £100m guaranteed up front.
However, the same report has stressed that while there's a verbal agreement in place, nothing has yet been signed, and important details were due to be ironed out on Thursday morning. The 23-year-old is likely to be brought in as a natural successor to Mohamed Salah, who left Anfield earlier this summer.
Barcola's standout season
Barcola made 49 appearances for the European champions last season, netting 13 goals and racking up seven assists as his side claimed Ligue 1 and Champions League titles. He also played a prominent role for France at the World Cup over the summer, appearing in all eight games, scoring three goals.
It's claimed the move to Merseyside would potentially have a knock-on effect for star Cody Gakpo, who has been repeatedly linked to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City this summer. However, it could also have an impact on Welsh winger Lewis Koumas, who would surely see his place in the pecking order affected by Barcola's arrival.
Koumas's Premier League debut
The suggestion at the moment is that the 20-year-old is likely to stay at Anfield for the upcoming season. He was even handed his Premier League debut last weekend, coming off the bench in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle United at St James' Park.
He told Liverpoolfc.com afterwards: “This is the peak. It’s quite emotional, to be honest. Now that it’s finally happened, it just takes me back to the very first moments where it was my mum sacrificing absolutely everything to get me to any session I could be at.
“I remember being at Crewe, being at Tranmere, and my mum was just doing everything. So ultimately it’s her to thank for being able to put myself out there and now we've reached this stage. It’s just a happy family moment and I’m just really happy she could see it.”
However, given Barcola plays in his position, Koumas may now find it harder to make his mark.
