Liverpool Reach £120m Deal in Principle With PSG for Bradley Barcola

KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 — Liverpool have taken a major step towards signing Bradley Barcola after reaching an agreement in principle with Paris Saint-Germain on a transfer package worth £120 million.

The proposed move is not yet complete, with both clubs still discussing the final details of the deal. However, Sky Sports reported that the £120 million valuation is now understood to be fixed following a significant breakthrough in negotiations.

Talks between Liverpool and PSG had been complicated by a considerable difference in valuation throughout the summer.

PSG had previously been seeking around £145 million for the France international, while Liverpool had been working to bring that figure down.

The latest negotiations have now produced an agreement in principle at £120 million, although the transfer will only become official once all outstanding details are settled and the required contractual procedures are completed.

If the transfer is completed at the reported fee, Barcola would become the second-most expensive signing in Liverpool history.

Only Alexander Isak, who joined from Newcastle United for a club-record £125 million last summer, would have cost more.

Sky Sports estimates that signing Barcola would take Liverpool’s overall spending since the end of the 2024/25 campaign to more than £663 million. That period has also seen the club spend £116.5 million on Florian Wirtz and recruit players including Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike, Victor Munoz, Jeremy Jacquet, Giovanni Leoni and Jeremie Frimpong.

Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola stopped short of discussing Barcola directly because the winger remains a PSG player.

However, Iraola confirmed Liverpool were actively attempting to strengthen that area of the squad and expressed hope that positive news could arrive soon.

The comments came as Liverpool continued searching for additional attacking options before the transfer window closes.

Barcola joined Paris Saint-Germain from Lyon in August 2023 for a reported £38.6 million (€45 million).

He signed a five-year contract running until 2028 and quickly developed into an important player in Luis Enrique’s system. His performances at club level also earned him a place in the senior France national team.

PSG’s official profile notes that Barcola produced 24 decisive contributions in Ligue 1 during his breakthrough period in Paris and helped the club win domestic trophies as well as back-to-back Champions League titles across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons.

Barcola’s former club Olympique Lyonnais would also benefit financially if the Liverpool move is completed.

Sky Sports reports that PSG’s original agreement with Lyon included a sell-on clause, meaning Lyon would receive a share of the transfer fee generated by Barcola’s departure from Paris.

A £120 million transfer would represent a substantial profit for PSG compared with the €45 million they paid three years ago.

It would also reportedly become a record fee for a player leaving France’s top flight.

Barcola may not be Liverpool’s final attacking addition of the summer.

The club has also approached Crystal Palace regarding Ismaila Sarr after talks with Brighton over Yankuba Minteh proved difficult.

Brighton were reported to be demanding £80 million after rejecting two Liverpool offers, including a latest bid worth £60 million. Palace, meanwhile, have indicated that they do not want to sell Sarr.

The scale of Liverpool’s activity reflects a wider restructuring of their attacking options.

A successful Barcola transfer could also affect Cody Gakpo’s future at Anfield.

Sky Sports reports that Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City are interested in the Netherlands international and that completing the Barcola deal could create the conditions for Gakpo to leave Liverpool.

Barcola primarily operates from the left side of attack, which is also an area where Liverpool already have several options.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has praised Barcola’s quality but questioned whether another left-sided attacker should be the club’s top priority.

Carragher argued that Liverpool’s most pressing attacking need is a natural right winger following Mohamed Salah’s departure at the end of last season.

Barcola predominantly plays on the left, although he has also operated from the right during his time with PSG.

Carragher nevertheless made clear that he would welcome the French international if Liverpool also strengthened the right flank.

At 23, Barcola fits Liverpool’s recent recruitment profile of acquiring elite-level players who still have considerable development potential.

He combines pace, one-on-one ability and direct running with experience at the highest level of European football.

Barcola joined PSG after progressing through Lyon’s academy and has since established himself with both the French champions and the national team. His existing PSG contract runs until 2028, meaning Paris were under little immediate contractual pressure to sell.

That helps explain the size of the proposed £120 million fee.

Despite the major breakthrough, Liverpool supporters will still need to wait before treating Barcola as an Anfield player.

The agreement remains in principle, not a completed transfer.

Sky Sports says one final element of the deal still needs to be agreed, while PSG officials continued negotiations around the time of the Champions League draw in Monaco.

Liverpool’s own website has also treated reports of the move as media coverage rather than an official club announcement, noting that Barcola is closing in on a transfer without confirming completion.

If all remaining details are resolved, Barcola would become another major component of Liverpool’s ambitious squad rebuild.

A £120 million transfer would place him among the most expensive players in Premier League history and underline Liverpool’s willingness to continue investing heavily in their attack.

For PSG, meanwhile, the sale would generate a huge return on a player bought from Lyon only three years ago.

The focus now turns to whether Liverpool and PSG can complete the final negotiations and formally announce one of the biggest transfers of the 2026 summer window.