Liverpool are poised to make an opening bid for Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola, but anticipate the offer will be turned down by the French champions, who have set a high asking price for the 23-year-old.
PSG's Asking Price and Stance
PSG were initially reluctant to part with Barcola, who has two years left on his contract, but have reinforced their wide options with Maghnes Akliouche from AS Monaco. Reports indicate PSG have a lofty £145.6m valuation for their star, though they might soften to allow an exit for £128.5m.
PSG's pricing is influenced by recent transfer fees, including the £120m RB Leipzig got from Real Madrid for Yan Diomande, and the summer moves of Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson.
Liverpool's Offer and Negotiations
According to L'Equipe, Liverpool are now ready to step up negotiations and will submit an official offer in the region of £98m, expecting it to be rejected. Barcola has become Liverpool's primary transfer target this summer, with new boss Andoni Iraola eager to boost his attacking options out wide.
Liverpool's summer window has been slow, with a £35m agreement for Osasuna winger Victor Munoz being the only notable business, alongside Jeremy Jacquet's arrival after a £55m January deal.
Barcola's Profile and Personal Terms
Barcola has scored 39 goals in 152 appearances for PSG since joining from Lyon three years ago. He has formed a strong partnership with Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue under Luis Enrique but remains keen on a move to Liverpool.
Personal terms have already been agreed, and Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes is leading negotiations, with Luis Campos representing PSG and agent Moussa Sissoko acting for Barcola. L'Equipe reports Liverpool are not actively seeking alternatives, underscoring their commitment.
Iraola's Comments on Recruitment
Iraola recently said: "There are obvious situations that we know where we need to sign players. A winger, for example – we definitely need to sign a winger. But there are other situations that we will have to analyse what the market gives you, what's the cost, how we also see the players we have. We have some tricky positions where we have injured players that we trust but is still not the ideal situation. So, it will depend on a lot of things."
