Liverpool are closing in on a £120m deal for Bradley Barcola after a breakthrough in talks with Paris Saint-Germain, while head coach Andoni Iraola weighs wide-area targets including Yankuba Minteh and Ismaïla Sarr ahead of the summer transfer window deadline on September 1.
Bradley Barcola Deal Approaches £120m After Breakthrough Talks
Liverpool are closing in on a £120m deal for Bradley Barcola following a breakthrough in talks with Paris Saint-Germain. Negotiations concluded with an outline agreement on a compromise fee that will see Liverpool pay a guaranteed sum of just over £100m alongside add-ons tied to individual and team success.
The France international has remained Liverpool’s primary transfer target all summer, though PSG’s initial £145m valuation presented a major hurdle. The 23-year-old winger has two years remaining on his contract but informed Paris Saint-Germain that he would not sign an extension, having fallen down the pecking order under Luis Enrique. PSG previously signed Barcola for €45m from Lyon in 2023, but the arrival of attacking options such as Ferran Torres, Maghnes Akliouche, and Mika Godts left Barcola omitted from matchday squads this season.
Should the transfer cross the finish line, the arrival would make Barcola the second-most expensive signing in Liverpool’s history behind the £125m Alexander Isak. However, head coach Andoni Iraola emphasized that the agreement is not done yet while speaking about the club’s remaining window priorities.
The Search for a Mohamed Salah Replacement on the Right Wing
Even with Barcola arriving, Liverpool still face the challenge of landing a direct replacement for Mohamed Salah on the right flank. The club’s recruitment team has explored alternative options as the deadline approaches, though progress has proved complicated.
Liverpool have already had two bids rejected by Brighton for Yankuba Minteh. While Brighton previously rejected a bid from the Merseyside club, reports indicate that Minteh is valued around the £80m mark. The Gambian international re-entered the Reds’ thinking as the club weighed up alternatives, though a deal depends on whether Brighton lower their price tag or find a replacement before the deadline.
Parallel discussions have surrounded Crystal Palace winger Ismaïla Sarr. While Liverpool have enquired about Sarr’s availability, they have not lodged a formal bid with Palace, where officials remain insistent against selling another key player following Maxence Lacroix’s departure to Chelsea. Estimates suggest it would take a bid exceeding £60m to test Crystal Palace’s resolve.
Andoni Iraola Addresses Cody Gakpo’s Future and Squad Priorities
The potential arrival of multiple wide attackers casts uncertainty over the squad architecture, particularly regarding Cody Gakpo. The Netherlands international has drawn interest from Tottenham and Manchester City.
“When the market is open you can not guarantee anything with anyone. 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.”
Andoni Iraola, Head Coach
Iraola noted that wide areas remained the club’s primary focus due to the loss of Salah and long-term injuries affecting right-back Conor Bradley and striker Hugo Ekitiké. Beyond the attacking positions, the manager acknowledged that the club would look to improve other areas if the right opportunities materialize before the window closes.
Deadline Pressure Mounts Across Premier League Squads
As the transfer window rushes toward its September 1 conclusion, Liverpool’s approach to securing a right-sided forward has drawn scrutiny. Observers note that Minteh, Sarr, and Ibrahim Mbaye—who is available around the £60m mark—have remained at the center of internal discussions. With Brighton standing firm on valuations reaching up to £80m, Liverpool may be forced into paying a premium to finalize their squad.
Movement elsewhere in the league has intensified deadline activity, highlighted by Nottingham Forest completing a club-record £45m signing of striker Liam Delap from Chelsea on a five-year contract, alongside Chelsea’s agreement to sign 18-year-old centre-back Honest Ahanor from Atalanta for £40m. For Liverpool, the final days of the window will hinge on whether compromise can be reached for their remaining short-listed targets before the deadline shuts.
