Why Liverpool are ready to make Barcola third £100m signing

Liverpool Poised to Complete Third Six-Figure Acquisition for Barcola

Ninoda.com – Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola has been instrumental in securing Champions League victories over the last two campaigns, coinciding with Liverpool’s dual investments exceeding £100 million each for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. The Reds are now preparing to potentially match those figures for the French winger, with reports suggesting a valuation around £100 million, though PSG reportedly seek closer to £145 million.

A History of Record-Breaking Deals

Having concluded last season in fifth place, 25 points adrift of title winners Arsenal, Liverpool face significant spending decisions. The club could ultimately settle on £116 million for Leverkusen’s Wirtz, while their previous record-breaking £125 million outlay secured Isak from Newcastle United. Now, the 23-year-old Barcola—who featured in France’s World Cup squad—appears ready to join this elite group of signings.

Barcola made substitute appearances in both recent Champions League finals. PSG defeated Inter Milan 5-0 during the 2024-25 campaign, then retained their crown in May by overcoming Arsenal on penalties. Since arriving from Lyon in 2023 for an estimated £38.5 million, he has accumulated three Ligue 1 championships, two French Cup victories, plus the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

Playing Time and Squad Dynamics

Though naturally right-footed, Barcola favors the left flank but possesses the versatility to operate on the right wing or centrally. PSG’s depth in wide areas—featuring Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and France’s Desire Doue—means he does not feature for full 90 minutes consistently. An Anfield transfer would provide increased opportunities for regular starts.

Liverpool’s attacking reinforcements become increasingly urgent following Mohamed Salah’s departure on a free transfer. The Egyptian winger concluded a remarkable nine-year tenure with 257 goals. Compounding the situation, Hugo Ekitike suffered an Achilles rupture in April and faces an extended absence until 2026. Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo—capable of playing left or centrally—has attracted Tottenham interest, though Liverpool maintain no intention of selling.

The squad’s attacking resources also encompass 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, Italian forward Federico Chiesa, and recently acquired Victor Munoz.

International Experience and Tactical Fit

Barcola has earned 28 caps for France, netting three goals during this summer’s World Cup, including a contribution in the 6-4 defeat to England during the third-place playoff. Similar to his club situation, his international minutes remained constrained by Doue’s emergence. Manager Didier Deschamps preferred Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele on the right side, rotating Barcola and Doue between matches. Both players started four of France’s eight tournament fixtures, never appearing together.

Superficially, Barcola represents the logical successor to Luis Diaz. Liverpool declined to pursue a direct replacement following the Colombian’s exit last summer, yet statistical analysis indicates the PSG forward could adequately occupy that role. Opta’s similarity algorithm positions Barcola as Europe’s top five leagues’ winger with the closest output profile to Diaz at 78 percent, ahead of Salah (65 percent), Lamine Yamal (61 percent), and Vinicius Junior (61 percent).

More Than a Traditional Winger

Deeper examination reveals Liverpool would not merely substitute one wide player for another. While primarily a left-sided attacker who has featured predominantly on that flank during Champions League action, Barcola’s playing style incorporates centre-forward instincts. He competed as a striker until age 17, a background evident in his movement patterns and shooting decisions.

During the previous season, Barcola averaged 3.5 shots per 90 minutes in Ligue 1, ranking among the division’s most prolific shooters despite his wide positioning. His 9.83 expected goals figure placed him within the 95th percentile across Europe’s elite leagues, indicating only approximately 5 percent of wide players regularly achieved superior goal-scoring positioning.

He translated these opportunities into 11 league goals, exceeding his expected goals total. No PSG teammate or Ligue 1 winger accumulated a higher xG figure throughout the 2025-26 season. These attacking instincts manifest in his approach to defending players as well.

Barcola stood alone across Europe’s top five divisions in averaging more than two shot-ending carries per 90 minutes (2.06), demonstrating his capacity to advance toward opponents before generating personal shooting chances. Additionally, his average of 8.69 touches within the opposition penalty area per 90 minutes ranked seventh among over 1,500 qualifying players, further confirming his tendency to inhabit high-value scoring zones.