Liverpool fans are increasingly convinced that Bradley Barcola could still join the club this summer after footage emerged of the winger embracing Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Luis Campos following PSG's UEFA Super Cup victory over Aston Villa.
Super Cup scenes spark speculation
The Reds have been heavily linked with signing the France international as they look to strengthen their wide forward options, with talks held between Liverpool and PSG over a potential deal. The reigning Champions League winners are believed to value Barcola at around £140million, which would exceed the current club-record £125million fee Liverpool paid to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United last summer.
On Wednesday night, PSG faced Aston Villa at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, claiming a 2-1 victory. Barcola was an unused substitute in the win, and his behaviour after the final whistle has captured attention.
Fans react to embrace
Videos emerging on social media appear to show Barcola embracing Campos on the pitch while the rest of the squad celebrated with the club's fans. The clip has led some Liverpool supporters to believe it could point towards a goodbye to PSG.
One fan wrote: “He’s coming to us, Anfield awaits Bradley Barcola,” while another said: “Yeah he’s coming, we’ve got a new number 11.” Another wrote: “We're waiting,” while another added: “That definitely looks like a goodbye and sadness from [the] director.”
PSG president's comments
PSG president Nasser bin Ghanim Al-Khelaifi spoke about Barcola's future after the win over Villa, refusing to rule out the 23-year-old leaving the club. He told beinSPORTS: “We’re working calmly, we don’t talk too much, we do. I can’t say whether he will leave or not. Today, he is a PSG player. We’ll see!”
PSG boss Luis Enrique was also asked about Barcola's future ahead of the game, saying: "I don't know and I don't want to speak about any player individually. Because it's always dangerous when you are asking something positive or negative about a player. I stay focused on my team."
