Bradley Barcola, the 23-year-old forward signed by Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023 on a contract running until June 2028, has established himself at both PSG and the French national team. However, he remains something of a substitute for big matches—a situation that, according to numerous media outlets, has led him to refuse a contract extension. Consequently, a departure during this transfer window is being considered. According to L’Equipe, talks between PSG and Liverpool are progressing slowly. The French international has already reached an agreement with the Reds but will not force a confrontation to make the move happen.
“The situation is not deadlocked, however, and the various parties involved remain confident.”
“For the moment, the English club does not intend to meet PSG’s demands, which exceed €150 million including bonuses. Such is the nature of transfer window negotiations. In its indirect discussions with the Reds, Paris has used recent major Premier League transfers as a benchmark to set the asking price for its winger—despite having declared him untransferable just a few weeks ago.
During recent talks, the English side set a ceiling of €120 million, far below PSG’s expectations. An initial verbal offer, intended to test the waters, was made in the region of €100 million but was rejected by Paris.
The situation is not deadlocked, however, and the parties involved remain confident that a transfer can be finalized. Moussa Sissoko, the former Lyon player’s representative, is continuing his efforts to find a solution.
“He would never force a confrontation with Paris just to join Liverpool.” The 23-year-old player has nonetheless reached an agreement.
Nasser al-Khelaïfi, the Paris president, is also expected to step in soon and hold talks with Liverpool’s senior management and owners, whom he knows well. It is worth noting that Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain share a minority shareholder: Arctos. This should facilitate dialogue between the key decision-makers at both clubs.
Those close to the player have continued to insist in recent hours that he would never force a confrontation with Paris to join Liverpool. The 23-year-old has, however, reached a contractual agreement with the English club and would like to play in the Premier League next season.
This aspect of the story is entirely credible, though a degree of caution remains necessary given the ongoing uncertainty. Barcola’s refusal of the contract extension offer has not been confirmed, let alone Liverpool’s proposal or a potential departure—even if the reports seem fairly solid, given the consensus among numerous media outlets.
However, this is not enough to guarantee that a transfer will be finalized this summer. Negotiations involving such sums can be complex, and each club will defend its position. It makes sense for PSG not to give away their French international cheaply, especially after such a strong season. Liverpool, having spent heavily over the past year, may try to drive the price down—though likely without public pressure from Barcola, who presumably wants to avoid jeopardizing his situation.
Hopefully, negotiations can progress positively and relatively quickly. That would be best for both the clubs and the player. It is always preferable to have clarity during the pre-season, and certainly before competitive action resumes—which is fast approaching, even if there is no immediate urgency yet.
