EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool are pursuing a move for their top target Bradley Barcola and an opening bid is set to be made but a Reds legend has suggested his PSG team-mate would be a good alternative
Liverpool are set to make an opening bid for PSG and France winger Bradley Barcola in the coming days as Andoni Iraola looks to replace Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian left at the end of last season as a free agent but Liverpool are yet to secure his successor despite the new season just weeks away. After being beaten in the race to sign Yan Diomande, with the RB Leipzig winger looking set to be joining Real Madrid, the Reds have targeted Barcola.
It’s reported that initial talks to sign the 23-year-old have opened and the player is said to have verbally agreed to the switch.
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Seemingly, all that remains is for Liverpool to agree a fee, but PSG’s £145million asking price could prove difficult for the Reds.
Liverpool spent all summer whittling Newcastle down to a British transfer record fee of £125m for Alexander Isak, and they may need to break the record for a third time in just two windows.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport via bingo sites, where you can play online bingo in the UK, Friedel backed Liverpool’s move for Barcola but suggested they could pivot to fellow PSG winger Desire Doue as an alternative.
He said: “It’s a toss of a coin between Barcola and Doue. I think both of them would be brilliant additions to Liverpool and honestly, I think both of them would be great to help with the loss of goals and assists from Salah.
“Both players are excellent on the left and can also drift into the middle, which is something Iraola would like a lot in how he plays.
“Watching both at the World Cup, they both have important assets which can benefit Liverpool and contribute to an exciting style of play.
“So, both of them would be my preference, to add good depth to the squad because as we’ve seen it’s a long season competing in all competitions so you need plenty of quality in the squad and both of them would be huge players.”
Barcola, who has just two years left on his contract in Paris, is keen to leave the back-to-back Champions League champions for a more important role having played backup to Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The former Lyon star scored 13 goals and registered seven assists in 49 games for PSG last season and could mark Andoni Iraola’s first marquee signing at Anfield.