Liverpool chase Barcola as deadline looms and price stalls

Liverpool are racing against a one‑week deadline to plug a midfield void after Curtis Jones departed, and personal terms have reportedly been agreed with French winger Bradley Barcola, who has been omitted from PSG’s recent matchday squads.

Squad depth under pressure

Chris Burns, Senior Sports Writer, noted at Writer05:00 on 24 Aug that the Reds have only added Spanish winger Victor Munoz, Barcelona loanee Ronald Araujo and French defender Jeremy Jaquet to Anfield so far, leaving a clear need for further reinforcements.

The departure of Curtis Jones last week has forced Liverpool to shift focus onto incomings, with the club now seeking a creative outlet on the wings to replace the lost dynamism.

Barcola’s price dilemma

Barcola’s exclusion from PSG’s squad for the French Super Cup loss to Lens and the Ligue 1 opener at Rennes underscores his uncertain future and fuels speculation about a move.

PSG are reportedly demanding in excess of £140million for the French international, a figure Liverpool are not prepared to meet.

French media suggest an offer between £111m and £128m could finally seal the deal, aligning with Barcola’s expressed desire to join Iraola’s side.

Barcola and fellow French prospect Ibrahim Mbaye will not feature for PSG until their situations are resolved, and we understand Barcola has already agreed personal terms with Liverpool.

The transfer window closes on 1 September, and a deal could be completed this week if Liverpool can bridge the valuation gap.

Yankuba Minteh of Brighton has also agreed personal terms with Liverpool after two bids were rejected; the opening £50m offer was turned down, a second £60m bid also fell short, yet the Reds remain determined to finalise a move before the deadline.

With the clock ticking, Liverpool must negotiate a fee acceptable to PSG while navigating the financial ceiling set by their board, making the Barcola saga the priority for the Reds as they aim to reinforce the squad before the window shuts.