Liverpool Must Avoid This Costly Mistake in Their $163 Million Chase for Bradley Barcola

One of the summer's longest-running transfer dramas is approaching its end as Liverpool close in on a deal for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola.

A long-awaited breakthrough in talks came on Thursday as the Reds reportedly agreed an initial fee of $136 million (£100 million), potentially climbing to $163 million (£120 million) with add-ons. This marks a considerable drop from the $197 million (£145 million) PSG were said to be demanding earlier in the window.

While the transfer is not yet complete and obstacles could still arise, Liverpool can start building plans around the 23-year-old, who has cemented himself as one of the world's elite attackers across two Champions League-winning seasons with PSG.

A word of caution is warranted given the struggles experienced by Liverpool's other record acquisitions, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, and it will fall to new manager Andoni Iraola to unlock Barcola's full potential on Merseyside.

Here's a look at how Liverpool can best utilize the French international.

Where Will Barcola Play for Liverpool?

Liverpool have spent the entire summer desperately searching for a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah, and Barcola can be viewed as the Egyptian's natural heir—at least in terms of style. Firmly among the finest wide forwards on the planet, he will bring the dynamism and goal threat that was so conspicuously absent last season as Salah's form rapidly deteriorated.

That said, Barcola is no right winger. With a strong preference for the left side of the attack at both PSG and for France, he is expected to operate in that favored position at Anfield as well. Unfortunately for Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha, and Victor Muñoz, this likely means fewer minutes in their preferred roles.

Liverpool cannot invest $163 million in a marquee signing and then deploy him out of position. It is evident that others will need to adjust to allow Barcola to flourish.

And flourish he should, as Iraola constructs his attack around him, granting him the freedom to roam the flank and push into advanced positions—whether hugging the touchline or occupying half-spaces behind the opposition's right back. What this means for Liverpool's defensive shape is yet to be determined, but it should create ideal conditions for Barcola to shine.

How Barcola Can Elevate Liverpool's Offense

Liverpool were compelled to sell players to finance last summer's record expenditure, but allowing Luis Díaz to depart proved to be a costly mistake. The lively Colombian went on to excel at Bayern Munich, while the Reds struggled for creativity and, crucially, pace along the wide channels.

On paper, Barcola bears a strong resemblance to Díaz—a player capable of producing moments of brilliance from nothing and consistently contributing both goals and assists. Both are blistering in pace, relish taking on fullbacks, and possess the ability to cut inside or burst toward the byline. These are precisely the qualities Liverpool's wide players have lacked since Díaz's departure.

Iraola will expect Barcola to put in a defensive shift when out of possession, much as PSG boss Luis Enrique demanded, but he will be given the freedom to dazzle when in control of the ball. With no natural right wingers currently in the squad, Liverpool will likely channel the bulk of their attacking play down the left, particularly with attacking midfielder Wirtz also gravitating toward that side.

When Barcola gets on the ball, expect excitement. In Ligue 1 last season, he ranked third for combined expected goals and expected assists per 90, and 12th for successful dribbles and shots per game. Across all competitions, he registered 21 goal involvements, down from the 39 he had contributed the previous campaign.

The Trap Liverpool Must Avoid

There may be a temptation to use Barcola on the right wing upon his arrival, given Liverpool's shortage of options in that position. Iraola must not give in to that urge.

Barcola has featured on the right flank before, doing so on 22 occasions for PSG. His numbers there are respectable, with four goals and eight assists in those appearances—though many of those came against modest Ligue 1 opposition.

Nevertheless, pushing Barcola onto the right wing would undermine his greatest strengths.

He is undeniably more effective on the left, where his tendency to cut inside onto his favored right foot and shoot at goal is a constant threat—a clinical instinct developed during his time as a center forward up to the age of 17. There is still room to sharpen his finishing, but his ability to manufacture shooting opportunities and pull the trigger makes him an exceptionally difficult player to contain.

Barcola simply will not deliver the same impact on the right wing, and placing him there would only be setting him up for disappointment.