Liverpool Renew Interest in PSG's Barcola and Mbaye

Liverpool have stepped back into negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain with renewed force, lodging fresh bids for highly-rated duo Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye, according to reports.

The moves come after a busy start to the window at Anfield. Liverpool have already reshaped the spine of their squad with three significant additions: centre-back Jeremy Jacquet from Stade Rennais for £55m, versatile defender Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5m, and Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona. Defence and width have clearly been the priorities.

Now the focus has sharpened on Paris.

Liverpool push on Barcola deal

Barcola has been on Liverpool’s radar for months, and the pursuit has never really cooled. The Premier League side have been trying to close the gap between their valuation and PSG’s, with talks described as ongoing and active.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano underlined that point on his YouTube channel last week, stressing that Barcola’s situation remains “absolutely linked to Liverpool” and that the club “want Barcola”. He reiterated that negotiations are underway, that there is still a financial gap between what PSG are demanding and what Liverpool are willing to pay, but that the agreement on personal terms with the player is already in place.

In short, the player is ready. The clubs are not there yet. But, as Romano put it, “the deal is alive”.

Luis Enrique added a layer of intrigue at the weekend. Without naming Barcola directly, the PSG head coach appeared to hint at the winger’s future when discussing the club’s transfer stance and dressing-room dynamics.

“We are a very young, very ambitious team,” Enrique said. “It is important for us to make changes and look for players who enjoy playing our way and who love playing for PSG.

“When a player doesn’t want to come here, or doesn’t have a smile on their face about being here, it is better to find another solution.”

That “other solution” may well lie on Merseyside.

Mbaye in the frame as PSG set huge price

Mbaye, another PSG talent, has also been dragged to the centre of this tug-of-war. Both he and Barcola were left out of PSG’s Trophée des Champions defeat to Lens on Sunday, a decision that only fuelled speculation. Asked about the pair after the match, Enrique kept his cards close to his chest, saying only: “I’ll talk about the situation after the transfer window has passed.”

PSG’s stance in the market is clear enough. The French champions value Barcola at around £130m and Mbaye at about £42m. A combined £172m package represents a serious financial hurdle, even for a club of Liverpool’s stature and ambition.

Yet the Premier League side appear undeterred.

A prominent X account, which claims a team of “five elite reporters” and has more than 700,000 followers, reported that Liverpool had dropped a “double bomb” at around 5pm, submitting fresh offers for both Barcola and Mbaye. According to that account, sources close to the situation say Liverpool are confident of getting the Barcola deal over the line and are “quietly hopeful” that their bid for Mbaye will also be accepted.

The message from Anfield is unmistakable. After reinforcing the back line, Liverpool are now prepared to spend big to elevate their attack and wide options. The next move belongs to PSG — and the price they set on the future of two of their most coveted assets.