Liverpool Target Bradley Barcola as Priority Signing

Liverpool are closing in on Bradley Barcola as their priority wide signing, with Ibrahim Mbaye slipping down the list and Yankuba Minteh moving up it.

The numbers, though, are wild.

Liverpool push for Barcola as PSG dig in

Both Mbaye and Barcola are ready to quit Paris Saint-Germain after the European champions loaded up again in attack, bringing in Maghnes Akliouche and Mika Godts. Liverpool have already opened talks with PSG for the pair and have personal terms agreed with both players.

The problem is the gap between what PSG want and what Liverpool are willing to pay.

For Mbaye, PSG are seeking around £43-50m. Liverpool rate him closer to £30m. For Barcola, the French club initially slapped a staggering £145m price tag on him before trimming that to £125m. Liverpool have gone in at €115m (£98m) and are prepared to edge towards €120m.

On RMC Sport’s After Foot podcast, respected reporter Fabrice Hawkins was asked directly about the Mbaye negotiations. He refused to disclose PSG’s exact demand.

“I don’t dare say the price being asked by Paris Saint-Germain, firstly because I haven’t had confirmation, and when I do get confirmation, I will write it,” he said.

What he did make clear is that Mbaye is already lined up on the player side.

“Ibrahim Mbaye has a contractual agreement with Liverpool. What’s really going to be a problem is the agreement between clubs because LFC are already negotiating for Barcola, who is their top priority, they really want to make it happen and I said, I think it’s going to go through.

“That’s the feeling amongst everyone in the deal. Secondly, there’s Ibrahim Mbaye, but PSG are asking for a substantial fee, and at the moment Liverpool aren’t ready to accept that.

“Whilst they’re sitting down negotiating with Barcola, they’re saying ‘we will negotiate, we will find common ground’. For Ibrahim Mbaye, it’s a little bit more problematic, but negotiations are still ongoing.”

So Barcola first. Mbaye only if the price collapses.

“No intention to keep Barcola”

On Barcola, Hawkins painted a picture of a player and a club already emotionally separated.

“Bradley Barcola wants to join Liverpool. PSG were informed earlier of his desire, and it was accepted,” he said.

“There’s no intention to keep Bradley Barcola. The sticking point has been the valuation, where they started at €170m.”

The fee has dropped from that eye-watering opening stance, but not to bargain territory.

“Liverpool have made different verbal offers. They’ve made offers since the verbal one, but there hasn’t been a written offer yet because, at this level, I think the next written offer will be the one that gets it done.

“We’ve understood that it would be somewhere between €130m and €150m, but in any case, it won’t be below €120m for Bradley Barcola. Everyone involved in this deal thinks there will be an agreement.”

The message is clear: Liverpool will have to go big. PSG know it. Liverpool know it. Barcola is waiting.

Minteh leapfrogs Mbaye

While PSG hold firm, Liverpool’s recruitment board have started to reshape their winger shortlist.

According to Lewis Steele of the Daily Mail, Liverpool have decided to prioritise a move for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh over Mbaye. The Anfield club have already seen a £50m offer rejected and are preparing a new bid.

The strategy is bold. Barcola remains the headline target, as confirmed on Thursday, but Liverpool are working in parallel on Minteh to overhaul their wide options in one window.

As it stands, the ideal outcome at Anfield is simple and expensive: Barcola through the door, Minteh alongside him, and a winger group transformed in a single swing of the market.