According to one report which emerged on Sunday morning, Liverpool may be at risk of missing out on Bradley Barcola to a direct Premier League rival in the final few days of the summer transfer window.
The Paris Saint-Germain winger has been the Reds’ main target over the past couple of months and has already agreed personal terms on a prospective move to Anfield, although the two clubs have yet to agree a fee for the 23-year-old.
French reporter Fabrice Hawkins claimed last week that ‘everyone involved’ in the proposed transaction ‘thinks there will be an agreement’ which’d pave the way for the forward to become an LFC player, although one source has now warned of a threat from within the English top flight.
Arsenal eyeing Barcola transfer hijack
As reported by CaughtOffside this morning, Arsenal could re-enter the race for Barcola amid an impasse between Liverpool and PSG over a price for the winger, with the Reds viewing his maximum worth at £120m but the European champions demanding £130m up front plus a potential £15m in add-ons.
The Gunners are reportedly being kept informed of developments regarding the France international, who it’s claimed could be ‘tempted’ by a move to north London despite already signalling his approval of a switch to Merseyside.
One source told the outlet: “Liverpool and PSG still have no agreement on Barcola; there’s a significant gap in valuation. Arsenal haven’t completely gone away and could aggressively enter the conversation again if it becomes clear this deal is really stalling.”
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Liverpool must throw everything at signing Barcola this month
At present it’d seem that the Reds remain Barcola’s firm first choice, but the longer that the saga goes on without a fee being agreed with PSG, the more that fears of a potential hijack from Arsenal may grow.
Liverpool will naturally be cautious of not being duped into paying over the odds for the player, but if an extra £10m could be the difference between securing his signature and missing out on him, surely they must view it as a calculated gamble worth taking?
Andoni Iraola is going into today’s Premier League opener against Newcastle with Federico Chiesa as his only natural right winger, and although Barcola chiefly plays off the left, he’s a proven high-level operator who can easily adapt to any position across the forward line.
The 23-year-old has been frozen out at PSG amid the uncertainty over his future, a situation which doesn’t help him but should offer encouragement to LFC sporting director Richard Hughes to come forward with an appetising package which could force the Parisians’ hand.
For Liverpool to miss out on the Frenchman at this stage of the transfer window would be galling; to see him join Arsenal would be an incomprehensible gut punch. The Anfield hierarchy simply must throw everything they have at this pursuit over the next nine days.
The “source” is clearly PSG planting a story to scare LFC into paying over the odds.
Arsenal have the money for one last signing and they want another left winger.
The nightmare scenario will be is if this drags on until the last day of the transfer window.
Other clubs have got big deals done, no doubt they didn’t want to over pay but they had to to sign players.
Why are FSG holding back trying to get players on the cheap. We can’t even get a winger from Brighton because we don’t want to pay the transfer fee that Brighton want.
FSG have just made 1.6 billion by selling 33 percent of Liverpool to 1892 holdings. There can be no excuses if iraola doesn’t get the players he needs.
In the last five years Liverpool are fifth in the net spend in the premier league.
Behind Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and spurs.
Where’s the Ambition to win the premier league or anything else. Every player we try to sign falls through because FSG won’t pay the transfer fee.
It’s a joke. If Arsenal get Barcola then we deserve it.
Charlatan owners back in Boston counting the 1.6 billion as they tighten the shoe strings at Liverpool football club.
And the clueless still think charlatan owners FSG are good owners.
Go and look at the current squad you fools.
You just shot yourself in the foot with your argument. They spent less than arsenal, united, spurs and Chelsea yet have been more successful than all of them combined – are the clever like they were when we were winning the league and champions league or are they charlatans? Does EOTK have comments when they signed Isak and Wirtz to see what was being said then. My guess is the same people having different views.
If they pay £130m they are clowns for paying that much and if they refuse to pay it, they are cheap. Which one is it? A lot of confused people these days.