Liverpool's Pursuit of Bradley Barcola: Salah's Replacement?

Liverpool’s search for a new right-sided star after Mohamed Salah’s departure is starting to narrow, and one name now sits firmly at the top of their list: Bradley Barcola.

According to reports in England, Liverpool are pushing hardest to prise the 21-year-old from Paris Saint-Germain and are regarded as being in the strongest position to do so. PSG, for their part, are said to value the France international at around £100 million — a statement price for a player they believe is only just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.

Arsenal and Bayern Munich are also in the frame, but the dynamics are different for each. Arsenal’s interest has sharpened after they failed to land Morgan Rogers, while Bayern are monitoring the situation as they reshape their own attacking options. For Liverpool, though, this is about something more specific: replacing the irreplaceable.

Salah’s goals, his availability, his gravity on the pitch — those cannot simply be replicated. Liverpool know that. What they can do is recruit a winger capable of carrying the attacking threat on that flank for the next decade. Barcola, with his blend of pace, direct running and technical flair, fits the profile they want: already proven at the elite level, yet young enough to grow with a new-look attack.

PSG’s stance is clear. They believe they are holding a premium asset and are pricing him accordingly. A nine-figure fee would instantly place Barcola among the most expensive wide players in history, and any club committing to that number would be building their attack around him from day one.

Liverpool are not limiting their options to one target, though. They have also made an initial move for AS Monaco attacker Maghnes Akliouche, according to reports. The 24-year-old has just come off international duty with France at the World Cup, and with that chapter closed, his club future is now at the forefront. PSG have already seen several bids for Akliouche rejected, which could open a lane for Liverpool if they choose to accelerate talks.

Akliouche would represent a slightly different profile: older than Barcola, more versatile across the attacking line, and potentially a cheaper deal given Monaco’s history of selling at the right price. If PSG step back after their failed bids, Liverpool’s enquiry starts to look more significant.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are spreading their net wider on the flanks. Alongside their interest in Barcola, they have lodged an enquiry for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, as revealed in England. The 19-year-old Ivory Coast international is one of the most sought-after young wide players in Europe and has been heavily linked with European champions PSG.

Diomande is understood to favour a move to France, while Leipzig are still hoping to convince him to stay for at least one more season. His contract runs until June 2030, which gives the Bundesliga club strong leverage in any negotiation. Arsenal’s enquiry, then, is a marker rather than a decisive move — a signal they are willing to wait and test the resolve of both player and club.

While the spotlight shines on the forwards, one of the more intriguing defensive sagas is unfolding between Chelsea and Crystal Palace. Negotiations are ongoing over a deal for Maxence Lacroix, with Chelsea confident they can strike an agreement and both clubs open to finding a solution. Lacroix, fresh from making his World Cup debut for France and featuring in three of their eight games, is keen on the move.

Chelsea’s back line has been in constant flux across recent windows, and Lacroix offers something they have been trying to lock down: a long-term central defensive presence with high-level international experience already on his CV. Palace, aware of his rising stock, will not want to undersell one of their most valuable assets, which is why talks are delicate but active.

Elsewhere in Europe, Borussia Dortmund are pushing hard to win the race for one of the continent’s brightest young midfielders. The German club have improved their offer for Genk’s 18-year-old wonderkid Konstantinos Karetsas, with the total package now just over €30 million including add-ons, according to reports in Germany.

An agreement is not yet in place, but discussions are said to be moving in the right direction, and Dortmund remain confident. This is familiar territory for them: identify a gifted teenager, invest early, develop him in the Bundesliga, and watch his value soar. Karetsas looks like the next name in that production line if they can close the deal.

Behind the headline pursuits, the market keeps churning. Manchester United and Arsenal are locked in a battle for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott after Chelsea saw a bid rejected. Newcastle United, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur are also circling, creating a crowded field around one of England’s most highly rated young midfielders.

Fulham are working on a move for Real Madrid striker Gonzalo García, a player who has previously worked with new manager Álvaro Arbeloa. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is expected to commit his future to Old Trafford, with talks over a new contract ongoing. At Arsenal, there is a more surprising angle: the club are reportedly willing to listen to offers for captain Martin Ødegaard, with an asking price in the region of £75 million.

Beyond the Premier League, Beşiktaş are trying to bring Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock to Istanbul as he enters the final year of his contract. Roma have contacted Chelsea about defender Axel Disasi, with the London club open to a sale at around €20 million. Manchester City are ready to test Lille’s resolve with a €90 million bid for midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, having already agreed personal terms with the player.

There is movement on the continent too. Bayer Leverkusen have reached an agreement to sign Hoffenheim right-back Luca Erlein for €2 million plus bonuses, a typically smart piece of business from the Bundesliga champions as they fine-tune their squad. In South America, River Plate have booked a medical for Ángel Correa after agreeing a €17 million package with Tigres, a deal that would bring the forward back to his home continent.

Yet all of these moves, all of these negotiations, keep circling back to a familiar question at the top of the European game.

Who takes on Salah’s mantle at Liverpool — and will it be Bradley Barcola walking out at Anfield as the new face of their attack?