Arsenal Favored Over Liverpool in Race for £100m PSG Winger Bradley Barcola After Bruno Guimaraes Signing

Arsenal Eye £100m PSG Star Bradley Barcola Following Guimaraes Acquisition

Arsenal appear set to outpace Liverpool in securing the signature of Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, after sealing the deal for midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.

Strengthening the Squad

The Gunners have enhanced their squad this summer by officially signing Guimaraes from Newcastle United for £75 million, marking their third addition after winger Christos Tzolis and goalkeeper Illan Meslier. Having missed out on Vinicius Junior, who renewed his contract with Real Madrid, and following the departure of Leandro Trossard to Besiktas, Arsenal are now focused on adding firepower through Barcola to boost their attack.

Competition with Liverpool

Liverpool also view Barcola as a top target, submitting a £100 million bid, though PSG are demanding closer to £150 million for the two-time Champions League winner.

Former Arsenal striker Perry Groves told talkSPORT: "I’ve got no dog in the fight, but I would say the Gooners because Liverpool are a team that are in transition. Andoni Iraola is imposing his philosophy with new signings coming in. If you were Barcola choosing which side has the better chance of winning the Premier League or Champions League right now, you’d say Arsenal."

Groves added an intriguing detail about Barcola’s preferences: "I’ve got a source that says he wants to live in London. I can’t reveal my source, but Barcola wants to live in London. He would be very good for Arsenal."

Support from Former Players

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong backed the club's ambition to add quality following last season’s Premier League triumph. Speaking to Ladbrokes, Frimpong emphasized sustaining success: "Mikel [Arteta] and the boys finally got it over the line, which I'm happy about. But they shouldn’t be satisfied with just one title. They need to keep winning and dominate like Manchester United and Manchester City did in the past."

He pinpointed areas needing reinforcement: "We’ve got a deep squad, but we still need a couple of wingers and a proper number eight. Declan Rice is playing out of position, so a natural number eight alongside him is important."

Frimpong highlighted realistic targets: "Bruno Guimaraes is someone I'd love to see at Arsenal, and also Bradley Barcola. Those two signings would make a very good transfer window for Arsenal."

Crucial Decisions Ahead

Arsenal face intense competition as the transfer window progresses. Club officials must act quickly to finalize their squad before the Premier League season kicks off. Barcola’s decision on his future at PSG will be the key factor determining whether the winger heads to North London or Merseyside.

• Bruno Guimaraes transfer fee: £75 million from Newcastle United
• Arsenal summer signings: Bruno Guimaraes, Christos Tzolis, Illan Meslier
• Liverpool's bid for Barcola: £100 million
• PSG's asking price for Barcola: Around £150 million
• Barcola's preferred city: London (according to sources)