Liverpool in new talks and “deal on” for “crazy fast” star

Liverpool’s attack is being rebuilt from the ground up this summer. Mohamed Salah has left Anfield, Cody Gakpo looks set to follow him out of the door after Tottenham made formal contact to sign the Dutchman, and Hugo Ekitike is currently out with injury.

Victor Munoz has already arrived to freshen up the wide options, while Rio Ngumoha is being lined up for a considerably larger role in Andoni Iraola’s plans. But the one man who could tie the whole rebuild together is still Bradley Barcola, and the picture around his move just got a lot clearer.

Barcola links have rumbled on for Liverpool throughout the summer, but Fabrizio Romano‘s latest update brings more reason for optimism than ever before.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the Italian journalist revealed that contact between the two parties is now a daily occurrence, and that personal terms with the player are already sorted.

“Speaking about wingers, I also want to tell you: don’t forget that Liverpool remain in daily conversation with Paris Saint-Germain for Bradley Barcola.

“Liverpool have an agreement with Bradley Barcola on personal terms, verbal agreement. Barcola wants to go to Liverpool. Barcola has never been untouchable. Liverpool are ready to go strong for Bradley Barcola.

In other words, the player side of the deal is essentially done. Barcola wants the move, and there’s already a verbal agreement in place over his terms at Anfield. What’s left is the club-to-club half: agreeing a transfer fee with a PSG side who have previously valued their winger at as much as £145m, well above what Liverpool have been willing to pay.

It’s easy to see why Liverpool have made Barcola such a priority following Salah’s departure. Ekitike, who knows him well from the France squad, described the PSG winger as “crazy fast” and pointed to his raw pace and directness as reasons he’s one of the most exciting wide players in Europe.

That searing speed is exactly the profile Iraola has been chasing all summer, having stated publicly that adding pace and quality to his wide options is a clear priority in his first campaign at Anfield.

The numbers back up the eye test. Barcola has posted 34 goals and 28 assists in all competitions for PSG across the last two seasons, and his underlying data is even more eye-catching. Of wingers aged 23 and under, only Lamine Yamal averaged a higher expected goals + expected assists rate than Barcola last season. Yan Diomande, the man originally identified to replace Salah, sits fourth on the list.

Crucially, PSG’s own transfer business is starting to line up in Liverpool’s favour. The French champions have agreed a deal worth around €50m (£42.7m) for Barcelona’s Ferran Torres and a fee in the region of €55m (£47m) for Ajax winger Mika Godts, giving Luis Enrique the attacking cover he needs before sanctioning any Barcola exit.

With replacements lined up, the gap between the two clubs’ valuations looks far more bridgeable than it did a fortnight ago. Add in Tottenham’s pursuit of Gakpo, which would both boost Liverpool’s coffers and further clear the runway for a marquee winger arrival, and all the pieces are starting to fall into place for Liverpool’s marquee deal of the summer.