It’s been a summer of near-misses for Arsenal. First, Morgan Rogers slipped through their fingers to Chelsea. Now, their pursuit of PSG’s Bradley Barcola faces an even bigger obstacle and Liverpool are closing in on him.
The Reds have opened formal talks with both the player’s camp and PSG, per Sky Sport Germany’s Florian Plettenberg. They’re calling Barcola their top transfer target. And they’re prepared to move fast.
So where does that leave Arsenal? Well, let’s take a look:
Barcola Says No to PSG
The whole saga shifted on Sunday when multiple outlets confirmed that Barcola has rejected a contract extension at PSG. His current deal runs until 2028, but the 23-year-old wants out.
Why? It comes down to playing time.
Despite racking up 20 goal involvements in 49 appearances last season, Barcola found himself on the bench for PSG’s biggest matches. Luis Enrique preferred Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue in the wide positions during the Champions League knockout rounds. That snub stung.
According to SportBible, the Champions League final bench appearance was the tipping point. Barcola wants a club where he’s the main man, not a luxury substitute.
PSG, for their part, aren’t making it easy. Reports from L’Equipe suggest they’ve slapped a price tag of anywhere between €120m and €170m on his head. They’re already lining up replacements — Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche and RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande (which is now becoming more unlikely to happen due to Real Madrid) — but they won’t let Barcola go cheap.
Liverpool Sprint Into Pole Position
Here’s the problem for Arsenal. Liverpool aren’t just interested. They’re charging ahead.
Plettenberg reported on Saturday night that Liverpool “are set to do everything they can” to sign Barcola before deadline day. He added that further talks were scheduled for Monday and that the club is considering an opening bid soon.
The financial package will decide everything. Liverpool had already spent close to £500m last summer on Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong. But they’re still pushing for Barcola as a long-term fix for their attack following Mohamed Salah’s departure this summer.
Barcola himself appears open to Anfield. There are no reported issues over personal terms, according to Plettenberg, which makes the Reds’ path significantly smoother.
Data from FootballTransfers backs up the Liverpool fit too. Analytics firm SciSports gave Liverpool the highest “Career Fit” score for Barcola of any club in world football — an 83 out of 100. Arsenal? They ranked 24th.
Can Arsenal Still Pull This Off?
Don’t count the Gunners out entirely. But they’ve got work to do.
Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth reported last week that Arsenal retain an interest in Barcola following the collapse of their Morgan Rogers pursuit. Sporting director Andrea Berta operates by working on three or four targets for each position simultaneously, so the Barcola file hasn’t been closed.
According to Caught Offside, Arsenal believe Barcola should cost around €90m and are willing to pay that. PSG, however, aren’t budging from their much higher valuation. That gap is a real problem.
Former Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre told GOAL that Barcola to the Emirates would be “an obvious choice” for both sides:
- “For Bradley, on what he’s done with PSG, what he’s done with the national team, the time of his career, still young, and what Arsenal is trying to build.”
- “Retain the title, try to win the Champions League. It’s a green light on my side, 100%.”
Arsenal have already sold Leandro Trossard to Besiktas for around £17m. They’ve signed Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34m as a squad option. But Barcola would be the statement signing — a record-breaking deal that surpasses the £105m they paid for Declan Rice.
The question isn’t whether Arsenal want him. They clearly do. It’s whether they can outmuscle a Liverpool side that’s moving faster, spending bigger, and already in direct talks.
Not everyone thinks Barcola should leave, though. Former France captain Marcel Desailly told reporters that the winger should stay in Paris: “Should he move to the Premier League? Not yet. Not yet at all. Sorry, Arsenal and Liverpool fans.”
Time will tell whether Desailly’s advice falls on deaf ears. But for Arsenal, the clock is ticking. If Liverpool wrap up an agreement before Berta can close the valuation gap with PSG, this becomes another one that got away.
And in a summer where the Gunners are defending a Premier League title, that’s not a position they want to be in.
