Liverpool Nears Major Deal for Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye
Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain have edged closer to one of the biggest deals of the summer, with an agreement in principle struck for Bradley Barcola – while the Premier League club also move into pole position for highly rated winger Ibrahim Mbaye.
The numbers are eye-watering. The intent is even louder.
Liverpool close in on Barcola after fee breakthrough
Liverpool’s pursuit of Barcola has rumbled on for weeks, shaped by hard lines in Paris and firm limits at Anfield. PSG set out their stall early: the 23-year-old, fresh from starring for France at the 2026 World Cup and a key part of last season’s Ligue 1 and Champions League-winning side, would not be allowed to leave on the cheap.
The French champions initially valued him at around €170m, then dug in at €150m. Liverpool, for their part, drew a line at €120m. A stalemate looked inevitable.
The deadlock has finally cracked.
Liverpool-focused outlet DaveocKop now reports that the clubs have reached an agreement in principle over a fee in the region of €128m (£109.8m, $147.5m), with add-ons described as more realistic than those floated in earlier talks. The structure matters: it suggests Liverpool have found a way to stay within Fenway Sports Group’s financial framework while still landing a marquee forward in his prime years.
Crucially, this comes on the back of claims from L’Equipe that Liverpool had already secured a contractual agreement with Barcola himself. The player has long made his stance clear. He has told PSG he will not sign a new deal and wants to leave, and sources have indicated he wants that next step to be at Anfield.
For now, there is a caveat. Only one outlet is currently stating that an agreement in principle between the clubs is in place. Nothing is signed. No medical booked. No shirt held aloft.
But the shape of the deal is there, and the direction of travel is obvious.
FSG’s statement move?
For FSG, a €128m outlay would be another landmark swing in a market they usually navigate with caution. It would place Barcola among the most expensive signings in Liverpool’s history, a move that underlines how aggressively they are prepared to back the next phase of the project.
Barcola’s profile fits the model: young, elite output, proven on the biggest stages, and with resale value. Yet this is no speculative punt. This is a player PSG have leaned on in major competitions and one France trusted on the world stage. Liverpool are paying for a finished article with room to grow, not a raw prospect.
If the deal gets over the line, it changes the face of their attack overnight.
Mbaye chase gathers pace
While the Barcola saga dominates the headlines, Liverpool have been quietly building momentum on another front. Ibrahim Mbaye, also at PSG, has emerged as a serious target – and the picture around him is becoming clearer.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has detailed Liverpool’s push. Speaking on The Market Madness on August 6, he confirmed “genuine interest” in Mbaye and revealed that conversations are underway with the winger’s new agent, Jorge Mendes. Bayer Leverkusen had made a strong play, but Liverpool now lead the race.
Romano had already flagged the shift on August 4, noting that Liverpool had made contact with Mendes and that Mbaye, who also has proposals from Bundesliga clubs, is giving priority to the Liverpool project. A move to RB Leipzig was close before collapsing when the Diomande-PSG deal fell through, leaving the door wide open for the Premier League side.
TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey has added further weight, reporting that Liverpool are in talks with Mbaye’s representatives and that the player himself is keen on a switch to Anfield.
The pattern is clear: this is not a casual enquiry. This is a coordinated push.
A new-look Liverpool taking shape?
If Liverpool complete a record-breaking move for Barcola and follow it with Mbaye, they will have ripped into the European market with a ruthlessness that sends a message across the continent. Two high-upside, high-impact wide players, both shaped in PSG’s high-pressure environment, both leaning towards Anfield.
The work is not done yet. Deals of this size and complexity can twist late, and the club still need more voices and more sources to confirm the final details of the Barcola agreement.
But the outlines are already bold enough.
Liverpool are not just refreshing their forward line. They are trying to redraw it.
