Liverpool’s pursuit of Bradley Barcola could be turning into one of the biggest transfer sagas of the summer.
And if the latest reports from France are correct, it could also become an extremely expensive one.
According to L’Équipe, Paris Saint-Germain have rejected Liverpool’s latest offer of €115 million for Barcola.
But crucially, negotiations are continuing.
And rather than the deal collapsing, the two clubs are reportedly moving closer “million by million.”
€115m STILL isn’t enough?
That figure alone shows just how highly PSG value Barcola.
Liverpool have already reportedly put €115m on the table, yet PSG have rejected it.
That means the Reds may have to go even higher if they want to take the French winger to Anfield.
And suddenly, this deal could end up costing Liverpool more than Manchester City’s move for Ayyoub Bouaddi.
That’s an extraordinary amount of money for one player.
But is Barcola worth it?
Liverpool clearly believe he could be
Liverpool wouldn’t be pushing this hard if they didn’t believe Barcola could make a significant difference.
And after watching the 2-2 draw with Newcastle, I can understand why.
Liverpool dominated possession but still struggled to create enough clear opportunities.
Alexander Isak was isolated.
Florian Wirtz struggled to influence the game.
Rio Ngumoha couldn’t make much of an impact.
And Cody Gakpo ended up being Liverpool’s biggest attacking threat.
What Liverpool lacked was pace and unpredictability.
That’s where Barcola could come in.
Exactly what Liverpool need
Barcola offers something Liverpool desperately need.
Pace.
The ability to run at defenders.
The ability to beat a man.
The ability to stretch the opposition.
And the ability to create something when a team is sitting deep.
That’s particularly important when you have a striker like Isak.
Liverpool spent £125m on Isak.
Now they need to give him the service to justify that investment.
Barcola could potentially be the player who provides it.
But €115m+ is a huge gamble
This is where the debate gets interesting.
There is a massive difference between thinking Barcola would improve Liverpool and believing he is worth more than €115m.
He’s an outstanding young player.
But at those figures, Liverpool would be making an enormous investment.
PSG know Liverpool want him.
They know there is Premier League interest.
And if Arsenal really do enter the race, as has been reported, PSG’s negotiating position becomes even stronger.
The French champions have absolutely no reason to rush.
The “million by million” negotiations
The most interesting part of the L’Équipe report is that negotiations are apparently progressing despite PSG rejecting the €115m offer.
If Liverpool were completely unwilling to increase their proposal, the discussions could simply end.
Instead, the two clubs are reportedly edging closer.
Million by million.
That suggests Liverpool haven’t walked away.
And PSG haven’t closed the door.
The question is how high Liverpool are ultimately prepared to go.
Should Liverpool pay it?
Personally, I think this is where Liverpool have to be careful.
I want Barcola.
I think he would be an excellent addition.
I think he fits what Iraola needs.
And I think he could help unlock Isak.
But Liverpool shouldn’t allow the excitement of signing him to make them lose sight of the bigger picture.
They still need squad depth.
They still have questions in midfield.
The full-back positions need strengthening.
And there is an entire season ahead across four competitions.
Spending an enormous percentage of the transfer budget on one player could create problems elsewhere.
But sometimes you have to pay for elite talent
There is another side to this.
Liverpool supporters have spent years asking the club to compete financially with Europe’s biggest clubs.
If Barcola is genuinely viewed internally as a player who can become one of the best wingers in Europe, perhaps this is exactly the kind of signing Liverpool should be making.
You don’t get elite young talent cheaply.
PSG know what they have.
Liverpool know what they want.
And the market determines the price.
Barcola could transform Liverpool’s attack
Imagine Liverpool’s attack with:
Barcola — Isak — Gakpo
with Wirtz operating behind them.
Suddenly there is pace.
Power.
Creativity.
Movement.
And different ways of attacking an opposition defence.
Isak could receive better service.
Wirtz would have more movement ahead of him.
Gakpo would have more competition.
And Liverpool would have a genuine one-on-one threat capable of changing games.
That’s why Liverpool are willing to negotiate.
The question is: where does Liverpool draw the line?
€115m has already been rejected.
If PSG want even more, Liverpool have to decide where their limit is.
€120m?
€125m?
€130m?
At some point, Liverpool have to say enough is enough.
Because there’s a difference between paying a premium for a player you desperately want and allowing yourself to be held to ransom.
This could be the biggest decision of the window
Liverpool’s reported pursuit of Barcola has reached a fascinating stage.
PSG have rejected €115m.
But negotiations are continuing.
The two clubs are reportedly moving closer, million by million.
And if Liverpool eventually get their man, Barcola could become one of the most expensive signings in the club’s history.
I believe he could be worth the investment.
But Liverpool need to make sure they aren’t paying a price that prevents them from strengthening elsewhere.
Because Barcola could be the final piece of Liverpool’s attack.
Or the signing that eats up the money needed to fix the rest of the squad.
That’s the gamble Liverpool now have to decide whether to take.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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