Liverpool: Barcola struggles to justify his €145 million transfer from Paris Saint-Germain

Bradley Barcola, who arrived this summer at Anfield for the colossal sum of €145 million (bonuses included) from Paris Saint‑Germain, is experiencing a delicate start in the red shirt. In five appearances in all competitions, the twenty‑four‑year‑old French winger has yet to score a goal or provide an assist.

A first season without sparkle

This lack of offensive output fuels criticism, but does not shake his manager Andoni Iraola. Asked at a press conference the day before the home game against Manchester City for the sixth round of the Premier League, the Spanish coach downplayed the misses of his summer signing.

“I don’t think he’s going through a bad patch. The problem with wingers is that if they don’t score, we consider that they haven’t played well, but you have to look at the match as a whole,” Iraola said. He recalled the clear chances missed against Atlético de Madrid, stressing that these failures do not bother him as long as the player becomes aware of them.

Iraola bets on perseverance

Iraola stresses the importance of seeing Barcola continue to create situations, believing that consistency and presence in the true‑zone will eventually pay off. The coach points out that the player’s confidence must grow for performances to follow.

The protective gaze of Thierry Henry, former French international, shares this analysis. Henry reminded the complexity of a league change, the language barrier and the weight of a record price, adding that “the only thing he has to work on is his finishing, but that’s normal.”

Opportunities ahead

With Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak missing for this Sunday’s match, Liverpool could reposition Barcola to cover these significant absences. This situation represents an ideal chance for the former Parisian to sweep away doubts and finally deliver a benchmark performance for his fans.