Should Liverpool break the bank to sign Bradley Barcola this summer?
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Having seemingly missed out on Yan Diomande, Liverpool appear to have turned their attention towards Bradley Barcola as their marquee attacking transfer target for this summer.Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Paris Saint-Germain forward is a ‘serious target’ for the Merseyside giants and sits at the ‘top’ of their wish list, although prising him from the Champions League holders would likely be an expensive ordeal.The Athletic‘s David Ornstein reported that Luis Enrique’s side value the 23-year-old at a ‘much higher price’ than the £116m paid by Manchester City for Elliot Anderson, which lays bare just how much LFC would have to stump up if they’re to land the France international.Online casino players are willing to place a high stake in order to reap huge rewards – will Liverpool do the same with Barcola this summer?The case for Liverpool signing BarcolaFirst and foremost, the Reds need to bring in a marquee winger to replace the iconic Mo Salah. The Frenchman might primarily play on the left, but he’s also capable of occupying the right-sided berth left vacant by the Egyptian’s exit.He already has a wealth of elite-level experience from his time with PSG and France, winning the Champions League twice, and at 23 he hasn’t yet reached what should be his prime footballing years.
In other words, he’d be a long-term investment who’s already proven at a high level.His goal return of 13 in 49 games last season mightn’t seem mind-blowing, but it’s worth remembering that he hasn’t been a nailed-on starter for Enrique’s side. Really?The Reds broke the £100m threshold twice in last summer’s transfer window, firstly on Florian Wirtz and then on Alexander Isak.
Barcola is an excellent player, but he’s not quite in that top-tier bracket to justify such expense.When looking at his underlying performance metrics in the Champions League last season (which shows how he fares up against the best teams and players in Europe), he came in at below the average for a number of traits, including duels and ball recoveries (via Fotmob). Is Barcola capable of doing that?ConclusionThe PSG forward would be a fantastic option to fill a pressing need in the Liverpool starting XI, although the Reds may have to be prepared to pay over the odds for him.Ultimately, it’ll come down to whether FSG feel that the 23-year-old represents a worthwhile market opportunity when considering his probable output against his likely transfer fee.