Barcola rumours hot up as Liverpool legend casts some doubts about viability of signing

Bradley Barcola’s purported move to Premier League club Liverpool seems to be growing ever closer, as the Reds look set to open negotiations for the French international winger. However, not all fans of the Premier League club seem too keen on the deal…

It has now been two summers in a row that rumours have been swirling around a potential departure of Bradley Barcola. The PSG winger, who has been in fine form over the last couple of years, but has never truly nailed down a consistent starting place for his club side, also had an excellent World Cup, and now looks set to depart Paris, with Liverpool the prime candidates for his signature.

Currently it is rumoured that PSG value Barcola at €170 million, which would make him the third most expensive signing of all time, behind Kylian Mbappé and Neymar (both signed by PSG in 2017). Liverpool are reticent to pay such a high price, and their opening offer may be closer to €100 million, with it yet to be ascertained just how flexible the Parisian club are willing to be in their valuation of the star winger.

In an ideal world, PSG would certainly rather keep hold of Barcola, but the excellent form of Georgian left winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the left hand side of PSG’s attack has meant that Barcola has been relegated to a bench role – only very rarely starting in the biggest of PSG’s Champions League fixtures. Barcola’s performances, when he has played, have very often been excellent, and he will feel, at 23-years-old, that being consigned to a rotational role for the third season in a row would be detrimental to his continued development.

Amongst Liverpool fans, there have been some dissenting voices, including that of Jamie Carragher, former club captain and centre-back, who was part of the Liverpool side that famously lifted the Champions League in 2005.

Carragher raised doubts not about Barcola’s quality, but rather about his position, replying to a tweet suggesting that Barcola might replace the departing Mohamed Salah: ‘No he plays on the opposite flank! LFC currently have three players who could play from the left in Rio, Gakpo and Wirtz & no one who plays from the right’. In a further interview on Sky Sports, Carragher specified that he wasn’t of the opinion that any of these players were actually better in their positions than Barcola, but rather that he thought Liverpool should be prioritising signing a right winger.

Liverpool fans online have also been somewhat divided about Barcola, with many finding PSG’s valuation to be somewhat excessive: it’s worth highlighting that spending big on player like Wirtz and Alexander Isak last summer wasn’t a successful strategy for Liverpool and was a move away from the type of signings that made Liverpool quite so successful during the tenure of Jurgen Klopp. Spending big on Barcola would be a continuation of last summer’s transfer strategy which could irritate some Liverpool fans.

As for PSG, they will hope that Barcola stays at the club, although it’s worth pointing out that even if a move to Liverpool does not materialise, other Premier League clubs will be interested in securing Barcola’s services. Arsenal, notably, have been linked with Barcola in the past, and if a reported move for Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr does not materialise, they may turn their attention to the PSG man.

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