Liverpool have opened preliminary talks to understand Bradley Barcola’s situation at Paris Saint-Germain, according to Spanish outlet Fichajes, and that says a lot about where the English club stands even after a historic season. Premier League champions who spent more than £400 million on new signings, Liverpool are now looking back to the market out of necessity.
The serious injury to Alexander Isak, the most expensive signing in the club’s history, forced an immediate rethink of the attacking plan. The Swedish forward fractured his leg in last month’s win over Tottenham and will be sidelined for several months, leaving a gap that the squad, despite its cost, can’t automatically fill.
Why Barcola is on the radar now?
Bradley Barcola is being monitored, not pursued in an advanced deal. That distinction matters. Liverpool haven’t made an offer and know a move right now is unlikely, but they chose to get ahead of things and map out the situation. The 23-year-old Frenchman is having a less dominant season at PSG compared to last year. In 23 games under Luis Enrique, he has five goals and four assists, solid numbers but well short of the impact he had before. Last season, he finished as the club’s second-leading scorer with 21 goals and 18 assists in 58 appearances, a run that put him among the most valued wingers in Europe.
The arrival of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia changed PSG’s attacking dynamic and reduced Barcola’s role in some key moments. While the French club insist they have no intention of selling, the report suggests the player isn’t ruling out weighing his options at the end of the season in search of a more prominent role. That helps explain why English clubs have started to watch more closely.
English competition and caution at Anfield
Liverpool aren’t alone. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City have also been mentioned as admirers, which naturally makes any discussion more complicated and more expensive. Even so, the mood at Anfield is measured. There’s no blind urgency, but there’s full attention on the market. As Fabrizio Romano has previously reported, Liverpool haven’t ruled out signing another forward after Isak’s injury, and that remains the case.
From a financial standpoint, though, this would be a heavy operation, especially for a player
Paris Saint-Germain haven’t officially put up for sale. That’s why the current move is one of strategic observation rather than immediate action.