Why Liverpool could sign £43m winger instead

Liverpool might be trundling forwards in their bid to sign Paris Saint-Germain attacker Bradley Barcola, but FSG cannot escape the fact that the squad is thin and numerous holes need covering.

In less than four weeks, the 2026/27 Premier League season kicks off. The Reds are not ready. Andoni Iraola is inculcating his high-intensity vision across the squad as they kick off pre-season with a promising 4-2 win over Sunderland in Nashville, but many key players are still soaking up the sun and lounging in front of infinity pools, resting after prolonged inclusion at the World Cup.

Then, of course, there is the small matter of Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate all having left on free transfers for Iraola to contend with. Partner that with Hugo Ekitike’s ongoing, slow recovery from an Achilles rupture and you’ve got a less-than-ideal start to your tenure, should you be named Iraola.

But Liverpool are working hard to ready themselves for the campaign, and it does look like Barcola to Liverpool is a real possibility.

How Barcola could fit into Iraola’s Liverpool

To get a gauge of how Barcola would operate under Iraola’s guidance, we may need to turn our attention toward Antoine Semenyo.

Semenyo, Manchester City extraordinaire, was developed into the player he is today by Iraola on the south coast. He signed from Bristol City and went on to become a deadly, direct and dynamic attacker, capable across the frontline.

Barcola could emulate that role. He is still learning, but the Frenchman’s unique mix of pace and explosiveness makes him the perfect attacker for a coach like Iraola. He is certainly not shot-shy, but he does need to work on his finishing, having scored 13 times across Ligue 1 and the Champions League last season, though also missing 25 big chances.

But the bones of a prolific machine have been laid out, and Barcola, still only 23, has already been hailed as a “superstar” and the “closest thing to Salah” on the market right now by Anfield Index’s Dave Hendrick.

PSG want £140m this summer, but that will not do. Barcola is not established to the degree that saw FSG green-light a British-record £125m transfer for Alexander Isak last summer, and given that the player has refused a contract extension at the Parc des Princes,

In Semenyo, Iraola crafted a superstar out of Championship pieces, and now the Ghanaian stars centre-stage at Manchester City. Barcola, a bigger talent, perhaps, could eclipse that impact at Liverpool while following Iraola’s same blueprint.

Is it enough, though? Liverpool are short of supplies, if not threadbare, and they need another winger, someone who can compete for a starting berth on the right wing.

Liverpool in recent talks to sign a mini Barcola

Iraola has been bolstered by Federico Chiesa’s recent comments: the Italian wants to stay and fight for his place after two tough years under Arne Slot. He scored in Liverpool’s friendly win over Sunderland.

But Chiesa alone cannot fill in for Salah, week in, week out. Instead, Liverpool need to sign potential upgrades. Barcola is one, and his PSG teammate Ibrahim Mbaye could be another.

According to RMC Sport over in France, PSG are open to selling the 18-year-old for the right price this summer, with an excess of attacking quality sure to keep the winger on the fringes of Luis Enrique’s super team.

He has been valued at €50m (£43m) by his employers, and with so many clubs – such as Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham, further clubs in Germany – lining up, Liverpool will need to work overtime to ensure they get this one over the line.

Mbaye is young, but he has already established himself in France, playing for one of the great teams of their time. Across 42 senior appearances for the club, the Senegal international has scored four goals and supplied four assists. It is his fearless dribbling that excites onlookers, though, and his desire to squeeze into the danger area and score goals.

GOAL have asserted that Mbaye is “the next Kylian Mbappe“. His skill and confidence on the ball certainly outlines elite potential, and he made a point when scoring against France at the World Cup, a fine breakout goal overshadowed by Mbappe’s brilliance for the French.

Standing at 5 foot 9 already, the 18-year-old is similar to Barcola in his ranginess, elegant and slick when driving forward and willing to duel against tough and larger defenders. Barcola, 6 feet tall, is the same, and that is a defining part of his quality down the left or right channel.

Mbaye is right-footed, but he has played more senior football down the right wing. There he featured across four games for Senegal this summer, and Transfermarkt record 35 of his 47 games for the Parisians to have come down the right.

This is extremely promising. Iraola does like a versatile winger, and in Barcola and Mbaye, he could land two of the most exciting out there.

Whether Liverpool manage to win this race remains to be seen, but we know two things: Liverpool need a couple of widemen, and PSG are reluctantly willing to cash in on these two.

If Anfield technical director Richard Hughes can make it happen before starting a new chapter in Saudi Arabia after the summer transfer window, the Reds could be in for a ride over the next few years.