Liverpool agree £120m deal for Bradley Barcola after breakthrough talks with PSG

Liverpool are closing in on a £120m deal for Bradley Barcola after a breakthrough in talks with Paris Saint-Germain and will attempt to “improve other areas” according to the head coach, Andoni Iraola.

Barcola has been Liverpool’s main transfer target all summer only for PSG’s £145m valuation to prove a significant hurdle. However, negotiations on Wednesday night ended in an outline agreement being reached over a compromise fee. Liverpool will pay a guaranteed sum of just over £100m for the France international, with add-ons based on individual and team success, taking the overall package to about £120m.

The full structure of the deal has not been finalised, but the breakthrough, coupled with PSG’s willingness to lower their asking price for the 23-year-old, should allow Barcola to complete his move before Tuesday’s transfer deadline. Liverpool were informed last month the player was keen to join them, having fallen down the pecking order at PSG.

Barcola has two years remaining on his PSG contract, but told the club he will not be signing an extension. The two-time European champions have added Ferran Torres, Maghnes Akliouche and Mika Godts to their formidable attacking options this summer and have omitted Barcola from their matchday squads this season.

PSG signed Barcola for €45m from Lyon in 2023 and the winger has played a prominent role in the rise of the Champions League winners. But Luis Enrique’s preference for a front line of Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in PSG’s biggest matches last season prompted Barcola to consider his options.

The arrival of Barcola – and sources insist the deal is not done yet – would make him the second-most expensive signing in Liverpool’s history behind the £125m Alexander Isak, but the club have still to land a replacement for Mohamed Salah on the right.

Liverpool have had two bids rejected by Brighton for Yankuba Minteh and despite enquiring about Ismaïla Sarr’s availability have not made an offer for the Crystal Palac forward.

Cody Gakpo’s future will be in doubt should the club sign two wingers before the deadline. The Netherlands international has interest from Tottenham and Manchester City and Iraola was unable to confirm that Gakpo will remain a Liverpool player beyond Tuesday. “When the market is open you can not guarantee anything with anyone,” he said.

“I don’t know what is going to happen with any of our players. You think I can smell who we are going to sign or what position, but experience shows you that, if there is an opportunity on the last day, let’s take it.”

While Barcola and a replacement for Salah are Liverpool’s priorities for the remainder of the window, Iraola would like to strengthen in other areas given the long-term absences of the right-back Conor Bradley and striker Hugo Ekitiké.

“Ideally is the magic word,” Iraola said. “We don’t know what we can do, but it’s true the priority has been mostly in the wide areas. We have four or five days. I am sure if we can improve other areas we will but I don’t know how the market is going to finish.

“You have to look at the overall picture. It’s not just in this position or the other. We know from the beginning our demands. From the first day I arrived here I told you it was wingers, especially because we lost Mo Salah and then tricky situations with the players that have long-term injuries.

“We are probably down a player in some positions and those have been our main issues.”