Liverpool's Pursuit of Bradley Barcola Nears Conclusion
Liverpool’s long chase for Bradley Barcola is edging towards the finish line, yet the noise around the deal is only getting louder.
A $163m agreement with Paris Saint-Germain is understood to be in place, $136m of it guaranteed, putting the winger on the brink of becoming the headline signing of Liverpool’s summer. French journalist François Plateau has indicated Barcola could be given the green light to travel to the UK for his medical as early as today. If the paperwork falls into line, he would miss Nottingham Forest this weekend because of registration rules, but he could be unleashed against Ipswich Town next week.
For Liverpool, it feels like the end of a saga. For others, it feels like the start of a debate.
Desailly’s warning shot: “Think about Arsenal”
Marcel Desailly has stepped into the conversation with a pointed message for the France international. The former Chelsea and France defender believes Barcola should think twice before committing his future to Anfield and instead consider Arsenal.
Desailly’s argument is simple: he feels the Gunners might “protect” Barcola better in the Premier League. In other words, a different environment, a different style, perhaps a different pathway to the starting XI. While Liverpool have pushed hard and PSG have shaken hands on a deal with the Reds, Desailly’s view underlines the scale of the decision facing the player himself.
The contract, the fee, the medical – all of that can be agreed. The final call still belongs to Barcola.
Liverpool’s window: almost there, but not done
At Anfield, the mood is a mix of urgency and anticipation. The transfer window is down to its final days and Liverpool’s hierarchy are working at full tilt to close the gaps in the squad before the shutters come down until January.
Barcola is the priority piece and is expected to be confirmed well before the deadline, but the plan does not stop there. Liverpool also want another winger, this time a specialist on the right flank. That search casts a shadow over the futures of players such as Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa, whose roles could shift depending on who walks through the door next.
The message is clear: Liverpool are reshaping their forward line, and they are doing it now.
Sarr caught in the crossfire
While Barcola’s name dominates the headlines, Ismaila Sarr finds himself dragged into the same storm. The Crystal Palace winger has been linked with a move to Liverpool, and the speculation has taken its toll.
Palace boss Pierre Sage did not hide the strain around his player. He admitted the talk has been “difficult” for Sarr, who remains under contract at Selhurst Park until 2029 and is currently injured.
“I understand for everybody that you have this kind of contact, it’s difficult because you hesitate a lot, but, for the moment, he’s with us,” Sage said. He stressed that Sarr is “honest” and insisted he has “no problem with that,” while also acknowledging that people might be tempted to link the player’s injury to the uncertainty over his future. Sage has spoken to Sarr repeatedly this week and made his wish clear: he wants his star back on the pitch, not stuck in rumour.
Sarr’s situation captures the other side of Liverpool’s late-window push. Every big move has a ripple effect. Every target unsettles someone else’s dressing room.
The final days
So Liverpool stand on the brink of landing Barcola from PSG, with a medical potentially imminent and a debut already being circled on the calendar. Desailly urges caution and points him towards Arsenal. Palace fight to keep Sarr focused amid the noise. Inside Anfield, plans for a new right-sided winger continue to gather pace.
The window is almost shut. Deals are almost done. The question now is not whether Liverpool will change, but how different they will look when the dust finally settles.
