Lyon reject PSG initial offer for Bradley Barcola, demand humongous fee

In their quest to bolster their offensive lineup, PSG have turned their attention to Bradley Barcola, a promising 19-year-old forward currently under contract at long-time French rival Olympique Lyon.

Reports emerged late last weekend suggesting that the French capital club made an initial offer of €30m to recruit the young talent, although according to information obtained by L'Equipe and revealed a few hours ago Lyon rejected their initial bid.

OL's leaders are keen on retaining their young prospect, who has already shown great promise as part of their ranks. Santiago Cucci, the new executive president of Lyon, emphasized "their commitment to counting on their best players, including Barcola and Lukeba, as integral parts of their project."

Lyon's financial situation, with scrutiny from the DNCG regarding wage bills and transfer fees, adds further complexity to the situation, revealed L'Equipe. That could prove key in this saga, as PSG might try to force Lyon's hand by submitting a slightly higher offer that OL cannot simply reject in order to fix their financial woes.

Despite OL's initial refusal, the positions "may not remain static" in the upcoming weeks, considering the financial constraints, reports the French sports media outlet.

Additionally, the final decision will also depend on the player's stance, as PSG is willing to accommodate him in their weekly rotation and Luis Enrique has approved the signing. Barcola would move from a mid-table team to a Champions League contender, which would definitely weigh heavily in his decision to stay or move out of Lyon ahead of next season.

This move by PSG reaffirms their determination to target young talents with high potential and boasting the French nationality as they try to close the "bling-bling" era and progress toward a more "young, Frenchified" model going forward.

The addition of Barcola, along with the potential arrival of Barcelona's forward Ousmane Dembele, would bring two fantastic French players to PSG, both of French nationality and expected to play for the senior international side for years to come.

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