Liverpool are preparing an audacious formal offer to sign Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, according to Sébastien Vidal.
The Frenchman was part of France’s blistering attack that netted 20 goals at the World Cup, the joint most in the recently concluded tournament alongside England and the fifth-highest total ever scored by a team in a single FIFA World Cup after Hungary (27 in 1954), West Germany (25 in 1954), France (23 in 1958), and Brazil (22 in 1950).
Individually, Barcola netted three goals and provided one assist in seven games, including the ten-goal thriller in the third-place playoff against England. His consistent goal threat was one of Didier Deschamps’ potent weapons up front, and he finished the tournament with an average of 2.34 shots per game and 1.88 big chances created.
His form for the Les Blues in the tournament comes at the back of an impressive individual campaign at the club level with PSG, where he won a third successive Ligue 1 title and back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles.
Despite playing second fiddle to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, he remained impactful whenever called upon, and it’s no surprise he ended the campaign with 13 goals and seven assists.
Following his standout season, Sébastien Vidal reports that Liverpool have made Barcola one of their top targets for the attack and are stepping up efforts to sign the versatile winger.
The French journalist adds that the 2024-25 Premier League champions are preparing to submit a formal £85m offer to PSG for the France international’s potential transfer to Anfield.
‘Crazy fast’ forward
Described as ‘crazy fast’ by Hugo Ekitike, Barcola would bring pace, flair and a consistent goalscoring threat to Andoni Iraola’s attack should a move be completed.
Last season, he averaged 0.53 goals every 90 minutes, placing him in the 93rd percentile among Ligue 1 wingers and roughly translating to a goal every couple of matches.
His clinical edge is also reflected in his shooting statistics, with 1.54 efforts on target per 90 minutes, a figure that ranks him in the 92nd percentile among players in his position.
The 23-year-old is particularly dangerous in one-on-one situations, consistently pinning back opposing defences and posing a major threat on the counter-attack, making him an ideal stylistic fit for Iraola’s tactical system.
However, considering the current astronomical market values some clubs have demanded for their key players, it’ll be interesting to see if Liverpool’s proposed £85m formal offer would be enough to convince PSG to sell one of the best wingers in Europe.
