Liverpool Agree £123m Bradley Barcola Transfer With PSG 2026

Key Points

• Agreement has been reached on Bradley Barcola transfer from Liverpool to Paris Saint-Germain worth £123 million or approximately $166 million, as per sources familiar with the negotiations speaking to The Associated Press.
• According to reports, the transfer fee includes £106 million guaranteed, plus performance-related add-ons of £17 million.
• It should be noted that no official statement regarding this transfer has been made by both Liverpool and PSG at the time the report went public.
• The 23-year-old player is set to undertake a medical prior to the closure of the transfer window on Tuesday.
• Barcola has been playing for PSG since his transfer from Lyon in 2023 and has won back-to-back Champions League titles with the Paris side.
• Earlier BBC Sport, The Athletic, The Guardian, and ESPN reported that Liverpool is close to or has reached an agreement with PSG over the transfer, however, depending on the stage of talks, various fee structures have been cited.
• It was reported that the move would see the player signing a five-year contract.
• This transfer would come after Liverpool spending big on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, while Cody Gakpo’s future could also be impacted by it.

Liverpool Sports (Liverpool standard ) August 29, 2026 — Liverpool have reached an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain to sign France forward Bradley Barcola in a deal worth up to £123 million, according to a person with knowledge of the transaction who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

As reported by The Associated Press, the proposed Bradley Barcola Liverpool deal includes a guaranteed payment of £106 million, equivalent to about $143 million, with a further £17 million — approximately $23 million — available through potential add-ons. The overall package could therefore reach £123 million, or roughly $166 million.

The agreement had not been publicly confirmed by either club at the time of the AP report. That distinction remains important: an agreement between clubs does not by itself mean the transfer has been formally completed. The player’s medical examination, contractual paperwork and the clubs’ official announcements are still expected elements of the process.

Barcola, 23, is expected to undergo a medical before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, according to the AP report. If the move is completed, the French international would leave PSG after three seasons in Paris and join Liverpool as one of the largest attacking signings of the summer transfer window.

The development follows several days of reporting that Liverpool and PSG had made substantial progress in negotiations. On August 27, BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel and Aadam Patel reported that Liverpool were close to an agreement worth a minimum of just over £100 million and potentially rising to £120 million, with the final value dependent on individual and team-related success. BBC Sport reported that PSG had initially valued Barcola at £145 million.

The Guardian also reported on August 27 that breakthrough talks had produced an outline agreement, under which Liverpool would pay a guaranteed sum of just over £100 million, with add-ons capable of taking the package to around £120 million. The later AP report indicates a slightly higher maximum figure of £123 million, reflecting the final reported structure of the proposed deal.

Why are Liverpool pursuing Bradley Barcola from PSG?

Barcola has emerged as a leading target for Liverpool as the club reshapes its attacking options. According to BBC Sport, the forward is right-footed but generally prefers playing from the left wing. He can also operate on the right or centrally, potentially giving Liverpool flexibility across the frontline.

The AP reported that Barcola has principally played as a left winger for PSG and has often been used as an impact substitute, with Désiré Doué commonly starting ahead of him. At Liverpool, the potential arrival of Barcola would add another high-level wide attacker to a squad that has undergone significant change across recent transfer windows.

BBC Sport reported that Liverpool’s pursuit has taken place following the departures of Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah across the previous two summers. It said Barcola’s capacity to play on either flank or through the middle could also provide support in central attacking positions while Hugo Ekitiké recovers from a serious Achilles injury.

Speaking before Liverpool’s match against Nottingham Forest, head coach Andoni Iraola did not discuss Barcola directly because the forward was not yet a Liverpool player. As quoted by BBC Sport, Iraola said: “I cannot talk about players that, right now, are not ours.”

He added: “But it is evident that we are trying to improve or try to fill that position because we don’t have the numbers. I hope we can have good news soon but we are still not there.”

The Guardian reported that Iraola identified wide areas as Liverpool’s principal priority during the closing days of the transfer window. As reported by the newspaper, he said: “We know from the beginning our demands. From the first day I arrived here I told you it was wingers, especially because we lost Mo Salah and then tricky situations with the players that have long-term injuries.”

What would Liverpool be paying for Barcola?

The reported figures have developed as negotiations moved from an agreement in principle to a more advanced proposed deal.

Reported stage	Reported financial terms	Source
Earlier negotiations	PSG valuation of £145 million	BBC Sport
Agreement in principle	Around £120 million overall, including more than £100 million guaranteed	BBC Sport and The Guardian
Advanced or final reported package	£106 million guaranteed plus up to £17 million in add-ons, totalling £123 million	The Associated Press

The Athletic reported that Liverpool had finalised an agreement involving £106 million, or €125 million, plus potential add-ons of £17 million, or €20 million. It added that Barcola was set to sign a five-year deal and undergo a medical within 24 hours. The Athletic also reported that Liverpool would make a further £4.3 million solidarity payment related to a sell-on provision Lyon negotiated when Barcola joined PSG in 2023.

ESPN, citing sources including reporter Julien Laurens, had previously reported an agreement worth €140 million, approximately £120 million or $163 million, and said Barcola was expected to sign a five-year contract.

Differences in reported values do not necessarily indicate contradictory deals. Transfer reporting can distinguish between guaranteed payments, achievable add-ons, total potential value, currency conversions, solidarity payments and separate arrangements connected to earlier clubs. Liverpool and PSG have not yet published formal terms.

The potential £123 million package would place Barcola among Liverpool’s most expensive signings. The AP noted that Liverpool spent £125 million on striker Alexander Isak and £116 million on attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz last summer.

What has Bradley Barcola achieved at PSG?

Barcola joined PSG from Lyon in 2023. BBC Sport reported that the France international arrived for a reported £38.5 million and has since won three Ligue 1 titles, two Champions Leagues, two French Cups, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup with the Paris club.

The AP described Barcola as a player who has won back-to-back Champions League titles with PSG. It also reported that he is a France international and that he has played primarily on the left wing for the French champions.

According to The Guardian, Barcola had two years remaining on his PSG contract but had told the club that he would not sign an extension. The newspaper reported that PSG’s attacking options had expanded with the arrivals of Ferran Torres, Maghnes Akliouche and Mika Godts, while Luis Enrique had preferred a front line including Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in major matches last season.

BBC Sport reported that Barcola scored three goals for France at the summer World Cup. It also stated that PSG had been prepared to accept less than its earlier £145 million valuation as the player entered the final two years of his contract and did not appear willing to extend his stay.

The reported transfer would represent a substantial increase on PSG’s original outlay for Barcola. However, the final comparison will depend on whether the full set of add-ons is achieved and whether all supplementary costs are included.

How could Barcola’s arrival affect Cody Gakpo and Liverpool’s attack?

The proposed signing could have consequences for Liverpool’s existing attacking group, particularly if the club continues searching for another wide player before the deadline.

BBC Sport reported that Barcola’s likely arrival created further uncertainty around Cody Gakpo’s future. According to its reporting, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City had shown interest in the Netherlands international. The broadcaster also reported that Liverpool had explored options involving Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and Crystal Palace’s Ismaïla Sarr as the club looked for right-sided attacking reinforcements.

The Guardian reported that Liverpool had two offers for Minteh rejected by Brighton and had made an enquiry about Sarr without submitting an offer. It said Gakpo’s future could be in doubt if Liverpool sign two wingers before the transfer deadline.

Iraola, as quoted by The Guardian, said he could not guarantee the future of any squad member while the transfer window remained open.

“When the market is open you can not guarantee anything with anyone,” he said. “I don’t know what is going to happen with any of our players.”

The AP reported that Liverpool had drawn their opening two Premier League matches of the season 2-2, against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest. Should Barcola complete the move and become available, he would be joining a side still looking for its first league win of the campaign.

What is the background to the Bradley Barcola Liverpool deal?

Liverpool’s pursuit of Barcola has been one of the summer’s most closely followed transfer stories because of the player’s age, record at PSG and the scale of the reported fee.

Reports from BBC Sport and The Guardian indicated that PSG’s initial valuation of around £145 million created a significant obstacle. Negotiations then moved towards a compromise package featuring a guaranteed sum above £100 million and substantial performance-related additions.

The Athletic reported on August 27 that the clubs had reached an agreement in principle but that nothing had been signed at that stage. It said Barcola had two years remaining on his PSG contract and was committed to joining Liverpool.

By August 29, the AP report said the clubs had agreed a package worth up to £123 million. The deal remains subject to the final steps required for completion, including Barcola’s medical and official confirmation from Liverpool and PSG.

How could the deal affect Liverpool supporters and PSG supporters?

For Liverpool supporters, Barcola’s potential arrival would signal another major investment in the club’s attack and could increase competition for places across the forward line. His versatility across the left, right and central positions may give Iraola more tactical options, particularly during a period in which Liverpool are managing injuries and replacing departed players. The impact on the pitch, however, will depend on his adaptation to the Premier League, fitness, selection decisions and whether the formal transfer is completed.

For PSG supporters, the transfer would mean the departure of a 23-year-old France international who contributed during a period in which the club won consecutive Champions League titles. PSG’s reported recruitment of several attacking players and Barcola’s reported decision not to extend his contract provide context for the potential move, but the club’s eventual response will be clearer once it confirms its squad plans.

For Cody Gakpo and other Liverpool attackers, the proposed transfer could increase competition for starting places and contribute to further activity before the deadline. Reports linking Gakpo with Tottenham and Manchester City remain reports rather than confirmed negotiations, and no conclusion about his future should be drawn until Liverpool, the player or another club makes an official announcement.