Liverpool have finally agreed a deal with Paris Saint-Germain for Bradley Barcola.
With the club wanting to find a suitable replacement for the departing Mo Salah, the French winger emerged as Liverpool’s number one target during the summer transfer window after failing to land Yan Diomande.
However, agreeing a fee for the 23-year-old has been difficult, with PSG initially demanding £140m, then reducing that down to £125m
But finally a deal has been agreed, in principle. Liverpool will pay an initial £100 million for Barcola, plus a further £20 million in add-ons.
Barcola is believed to be keen on a move to Anfield and personal terms have reportedly already been agreed with the player.
He is set to undergo a medical at the AXA training ground on Thursday and sign a long-term contract if all goes well.
After that it will be a case of posing for social media photos and videos, no doubt showing off the new Liverpool third kit, which launched on Thursday morning.
We all expect him to take the number 29 shirt, which he wore at PSG and is currently vacant since the departure of loanee Arthur Melo. Remember him?
Barcola will become the second most expensive player in the Premier League, only surpassed by Liverpool’s £125m signing of Alexander Isak last year.
The pressure he will be under to perform from the outset will be immense. Let’s hope he hits the ground running.
This transfer may be the final one the club make before Tuesday’s deadline.
While the arrival of Barcola will delight some, many question the decision to go after a single marque signing instead of strengthening the squad in areas that were weak like last season.
Failing to bring in a defensive midfielder may prove costly over the season. Trey Nyoni will have to step up and Alexis Mac Allister needs to improve on his form from last season.
We have better cover in defence now, but there is a genuine question mark around the quality of the wing-backs.
Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong simply don’t have the quality we became used to with Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
However, Conor Bradley is expected back from his knee injury at the end of the year, but it’s possible that may be delayed.
Overall though, it’s been a positive transfer window and gets us excited for the season ahead under new head coach, Andoni Iraola.
The Reds are expected to be playing better quality football under the new boss.
He is known for a higher pressing, fast-paced attacking style of play, unilike Arne Slot’s slow, cautious football we witnessed last season.
While Arsenal are clear favourites for the Premier League title again this season, with Manchester City hot on their heels, a third-place finish is well within Liverpool’s reach and top four should be the minimum after the money sporting direcotr Richard Hughes has spent this summer.
