Liverpool F.C. are reportedly interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, but the player may prefer joining the Reds over Arsenal, according to former England international Chris Waddle. Barcola has emerged as a major target for the Premier League's last two champions, with the player into the last two years of his contract at PSG and showing no sign of penning a new deal.
The 23-year-old was an unused substitute for the UEFA Super Cup win over Aston Villa on Wednesday night, having only returned for pre-season training last week following World Cup duty with France. PSG boss Luis Enrique refused to be drawn on Barcola's situation, with Liverpool having already contacted the French side over the winger but unwilling to meet a reported asking price of between £130million and £145m.
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Providing a further update, PSG president Nasser bin Ghanim Al-Khelaifi admitted that the club is working calmly on the situation, but refused to confirm whether Barcola will leave or not. The player's future is now a major talking point in the transfer window, with Liverpool and Arsenal both reportedly interested in signing him.
Former England international Chris Waddle has no doubt over where Barcola should be heading if he seeks pastures new this summer. "If I was advising Bradley Barcola, I'd be telling him he should go to Liverpool because he's going to have more license to play his own game for Liverpool under Andoni Iraola to go and do what he does," he said. "At Paris Saint-Germain, he gets the ball and he takes on his full-back, but if he played for Arsenal, Mikel Arteta would probably be too worried about him losing the ball. Suddenly he's lost 50% or 75% of his game. If he plays for Liverpool, Iraola is going to want him to play his game, take on the full-back, run at people and create danger. That's too much of a risk for a manager like Arteta. If I was Barcola and I was picking between the two, I'd go to Liverpool."
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 5th in Premier League, 60 pts, 17W-9D-12L from 38 games, recent form DLDLW. Goals this season: 63 scored, 53 conceded (+10 goal difference). Title race: 25 points behind leaders Arsenal.
The Reds are currently 5th in the Premier League, 25 points behind leaders Arsenal, with 63 goals scored and 53 conceded this season. The transfer window is now in full swing, and Liverpool will be looking to strengthen their squad in the coming weeks.
Image prompt:
A photorealistic image of an anonymous 23-year-old Liverpool F.C. player, wearing a red jersey with white sleeves, and white shorts, with a black pair of boots, running at a defender with the ball at his feet, with a floodlight rim light and a shallow depth of field, shot with an 85mm f/1.4 lens.
