Sports27 August, 20263 min read
Liverpool Agree Up To £123m Deal With Paris St-Germain For Bradley Barcola
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Liverpool agreed with PSG for Barcola worth up to £123m, £106m upfront plus add-ons. Medical is expected this weekend and signing a long-term Anfield contract.
Barcola deal agreed
Liverpool have agreed a deal worth up to £123m for Paris St-Germain forward Bradley Barcola, with PSG initially valuing the France attacker at £145m. The BBC said Liverpool have agreed a package worth an initial £106m with £17m in potential add-ons, and that the 23-year-old is expected to have a medical this weekend before signing a long-term contract at Anfield. Sky Sports reported that Barcola is set to sign a Liverpool contract to 2031 after the Premier League club reached an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain over the structure of the transfer, with Liverpool set to pay £106m up front and up to £17m in add-ons.
Liverpool’s negotiations also reflect a valuation gap earlier in the summer, with Sky Sports saying PSG previously asking for around £145m for the France international before the deal structure was agreed. ESPN’s Liverpool coverage framed the move as a potential replacement question after Mohamed Salah’s departure, asking whether Barcola is the right Salah replacement.
Iraola on Gakpo
Before Saturday’s game against Nottingham Forest, Reds boss Andoni Iraola was asked about Cody Gakpo’s future and said he "cannot guarantee anything," while also saying he wants to keep the 27-year-old at the club. The BBC quoted Iraola saying "[Gakpo] has been very good since he came back from the World Cup and his holiday, with a very good attitude," adding that he hopes to keep him "at that level" because he has been "very influential in our games." Liverpool’s wider window planning is tied to whether Gakpo can leave, with Sky Sports noting Barcola’s arrival could potentially allow Cody Gakpo to leave Anfield, with Tottenham and Manchester City both interested in the Dutchman.
talkSPORT said Gakpo will only swap clubs if Liverpool land another forward following Barcola’s arrival, and that Liverpool have seen two offers for Yankuba Minteh turned down while moving on for Ismaila Sarr. In the same BBC report, multiple sources told BBC Sport that Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City have shown interest in the Netherlands forward, reinforcing the uncertainty around Gakpo’s next step.
Next winger and timing
With the transfer window closing on Tuesday, Sky Sports said documents must still be exchanged between the clubs and Barcola must complete a medical, expected to take place this weekend. Liverpool’s remaining business is also focused on adding another winger, with Sky Sports saying Liverpool are also trying to sign a second new winger, with their target currently Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr following difficult negotiations with Brighton for Minteh. Sky Sports reported that Palace have no intention of letting Sarr go at this stage and consider the 28-year-old to be not for sale, while noting he has three years left on his contract.
“A winger, for example – we definitely need to sign a winger.”
In a separate update, the London Evening Standard said Liverpool have missed out on Ibrahim Mbaye but are still pushing to sign Ismailia Sarr before the deadline, while also stating that time is running out with four days left of the summer window. talkSPORT added that Liverpool have seen two offers for Yankuba Minteh turned down and moved on for Ismaila Sarr, and it quoted Iraola saying: "A winger, for example – we definitely need to sign a winger."