Liverpool have identified Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola as their No.1 priority this summer, following the departure of Mo Salah, but the French club's asking price is steep.
According to reports in France, the 23-year-old France international has verbally agreed to move to Anfield after talks with head coach Andoni Iraola. However, Liverpool have not yet opened club-to-club negotiations with PSG.
PSG's Demands and the Diomande Factor
PSG had been holding out for the arrival of Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig in a £100m deal before allowing Barcola to leave. But the 19-year-old Ivory Coast international now looks set to join Real Madrid, after the back-to-back Champions League winners withdrew their interest, citing 'completely disproportionate' transfer fee and salary demands.
With two years left on his deal at the Parc des Princes, Barcola has rejected a new contract and is pushing for a move. L'Equipe reported that his agreement with Liverpool 'could be a decisive step in this saga.'
Valuation Gap
PSG have communicated through back channels that they will demand around £140m to sell Barcola this summer. That figure exceeds what Liverpool paid for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. The CIES Football Observatory estimates Barcola's value at just under £85m, suggesting a major over-valuation.
Liverpool will have their own valuation, and fans are being asked whether the Reds should meet PSG's demands or move on to other targets with over a month of the transfer window remaining.
