Liverpool's Bold Double Raid on PSG: Barcola and Mbaye

Liverpool have put their cards on the table. A €100m opening gambit for Bradley Barcola has already been pushed higher, the pursuit has hardened, and the message to Paris Saint-Germain is clear: they want the winger, and they want him now.

After losing out on Yan Diomande in a transfer tug-of-war that veered from Liverpool to PSG and then spectacularly to Real Madrid, the Anfield hierarchy have shifted their full focus onto Barcola. The 23-year-old, tempted by the promise of a bigger role under new head coach Andoni Iraola, is understood to be keen on the move.

PSG, sensing the direction of travel, are bracing for impact. They have already lined up potential replacements, moving for Maghnes Akliouche of Monaco and Ajax’s Mika Godts as they prepare for life without Barcola.

A gap in the numbers, but Liverpool keep climbing

Fabrizio Romano confirmed on Monday that “official club-to-club talks” are under way between Liverpool and PSG. Those talks began with a sizeable difference in valuation.

Liverpool’s first serious indication of intent was a €100m (£86m) proposal. PSG responded by planting their flag at a towering €150m (£128.5m). Negotiations since then have not been quiet.

According to BBC Sport, Liverpool have now signalled they are willing to go to £100m (€117m) to get the deal over the line. It is not yet the figure PSG want, but it drags the two clubs far closer to the same page and underlines how determined Liverpool are to land their man.

Should the clubs finally settle on a fee, the rest should move quickly. Personal terms are not expected to present any real obstacle, with Barcola already attracted by the prospect of regular minutes and a central role in Iraola’s new-look attack.

A double wing overhaul: Barcola and Mbaye

This is not a one-man raid. Liverpool are pushing for a double deal that would reshape both flanks, pairing Barcola with his PSG team-mate Ibrahim Mbaye.

Reliable French reporter Fabrice Hawkins has reported that Liverpool have made contact with PSG over Mbaye, the 18-year-old who caught the eye with Senegal at the World Cup. Where Barcola prefers to attack from the left, Mbaye is most at home on the right. Together, they would arm Liverpool with fresh, high-ceiling options on either wing.

The pressure finally told on Tuesday night, when Romano revealed the next step in the Mbaye chase. Liverpool have opened talks with his new agent, Jorge Mendes, a move that usually signals serious intent rather than a passing enquiry.

Mbaye has not been short of admirers. Romano reports that Bundesliga clubs have also put proposals on the table, but the teenager is currently giving priority to the Liverpool project. A deal with RB Leipzig had been close, only to fall apart when the Diomande-to-PSG transfer collapsed and the market shifted.

Now, with Leipzig out of the picture and Liverpool pushing, discussions are expected to continue as the Premier League club try to turn interest into signatures.

Anfield’s new wide order?

Liverpool’s pursuit of Barcola and Mbaye is not just about numbers. It is about profile, age, and control of the next attacking cycle. Two wingers, one left, one right, both at the start of their careers, both already hardened by top-level football.

The money on the table shows how serious this is. PSG still want their full price for Barcola. Liverpool have already moved once, and may yet have to move again. Mbaye, meanwhile, sits at the intersection of opportunity and competition, with Germany watching and Mendes now in the room.

If Liverpool get both across the line, the shape of their forward line changes overnight. If they fall short, the market knows exactly how ambitious their plans are.