Key Points
- PSG sporting advisor Luis Campos has indicated that deals for Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye could be completed late in the transfer window.
- Liverpool remain in talks with PSG over both wingers, with Barcola the club’s priority target to replace Mohamed Salah.
- Liverpool have had two bids, worth £50m and £60m, rejected by Brighton for Yankuba Minteh, with discussions continuing over a possible third offer.
- PSG head coach Luis Enrique has left Barcola and Mbaye out of matchday squads, making both players available for transfer.
- Liverpool and Barcola are reported to have agreed personal terms, leaving the transfer fee as the main obstacle to a deal.
- Minteh is recovering from leg surgery and could be unavailable until October or November.
Liverpool Sports (Liverpool standard) August 24, 2026 – Its have been handed fresh hope in their quest to secure a double transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, with PSG sporting advisor Luis Campos suggesting that deals for Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye could be finalised before the transfer window closes on September 1. The Reds, under new manager Andoni Iraola, are eager to bolster their attacking options following the departure of club legend Mohamed Salah, and have identified the PSG wing duo as primary targets to fill the void.
PSG Signal Barcola and Mbaye Availability
Paris Saint-Germain appear to have admitted that Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye could yet leave the club before the transfer deadline amid ongoing talks with Liverpool. PSG head coach Luis Enrique once again omitted both wingers from his squad for the first game of their latest Ligue 1 title defence away at Rennes on Sunday, in which they fought back from a 2-0 half-time deficit to draw thanks to a debut brace from new signing Ferran Torres. Enrique had done likewise for the shock French Super Cup defeat by Lens last weekend, expected to adopt the same approach until the end of the window and declining to discuss either player until the market was closed.
However, PSG’s sporting advisor Luis Campos did discuss Barcola and Mbaye during the television coverage of Rennes vs PSG at Roazhon Park, seeming to suggest that deals could be done very late in the window as he referenced last summer’s £26million sale of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to Manchester City on Deadline Day. As reported by the London Standard, Campos was quoted as telling L1+: “The transfer window isn’t over at all. Even with incoming transfers, if we find a good opportunity, we’re going to go for it. In terms of departures, we’ll see what happens regarding Barcola and Mbaye. I understand your questions about them but you also have to understand my position. We’ll see what happens at the end of the window, remember last year with Donnarumma it was done at the end of the window. We’ll see.”
Liverpool’s Priority Target: Bradley Barcola
Barcola is the priority for Liverpool as they seek to sign a high-profile successor to the departed Mohamed Salah, though team-mate Mbaye is also of significant interest. According to BBC Sport, Liverpool’s priority in the transfer market is still in attack and namely, Bradley Barcola, with the pursuit dragging on but it being very likely that both PSG and Liverpool will come to an agreement this summer for the French winger. Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that a verbal agreement on personal terms has already been established between Liverpool and Barcola, with the player expressing a clear desire to make the switch to uk/local/anfield/">Anfield.
The main obstacle in negotiations remains the transfer fee. PSG initially set an asking price of approximately £145 million (€170 million) for the young attacker, who remains under contract at the Parc des Princes until 2028. However, Liverpool are reluctant to match that figure, aiming instead for a compromise closer to the £100 million mark. As reported by FootballTransfers, PSG have put an asking price of €170 million on their left winger and have so far refused to shift from this valuation, though sources indicate a deal could be struck between €120m and €150m.
Yankuba Minteh Talks Continue Amid Rejected Bids
Barcola and Mbaye are not the only attacking transfer targets that Liverpool are pursuing before the deadline. Liverpool are understood to remain locked in talks with Brighton over Yankuba Minteh, for whom they saw bids worth £50m and £60m rejected last week. As reported by The Guardian, Liverpool have had a £50m bid for Yankuba Minteh rejected by Brighton, with the club looking to add two wide forwards to Andoni Iraola’s squad before the transfer deadline.
Discussions are rumoured to be ongoing as the Reds weigh up a third offer for a player who is said to be valued at closer to the £70m mark by his current club. Minteh has scored nine goals in 66 Premier League appearances since joining Brighton from Newcastle for £30m two years ago and is reportedly open to becoming a Liverpool player. However, Minteh is currently sidelined following leg surgery over the summer and may not be available to play until October or November.
Alternative Options and Squad Context
PSG’s £145m valuation of Barcola has forced Liverpool to consider alternative wide options including the France international’s teammate Ibrahim Mbaye. Interest in Mbaye has not developed into an offer for the 18-year-old at this stage, however. Liverpool have added the versatile Victor Muñoz to their forward options this summer for £34.5m but are yet to fill the right-sided void created by Mohamed Salah’s departure.
In midfield, Liverpool have tied down Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch to new long-term deals while 19-year-old Trey Nyoni will now get an opportunity to show Andoni Iraola what he can do. Alexis Mac Allister, who is entering into the final two years of his current deal at Anfield, will also be staying put this summer. Curtis Jones has been given permission to undergo a medical in Italy after Liverpool agreed a £30m deal with Inter for the midfielder.
Background of the Transfer Development
The pursuit of Bradley Barcola by Liverpool has been ongoing for several weeks, with the Reds identifying the 23-year-old French international as their primary target to replace Mohamed Salah, who departed Anfield in the summer of 2026. PSG have maintained a firm stance on their valuation of Barcola, initially demanding €170 million (£145.3m) for the winger who is under contract until 2028. Liverpool have been reluctant to meet this figure, with reports suggesting the club is aiming for a compromise between €120m and €150m.
The omission of Barcola and Mbaye from PSG matchday squads by head coach Luis Enrique has been interpreted as a signal that the club is prepared to sell both players before the transfer window closes. This approach mirrors PSG’s handling of Gianluigi Donnarumma’s transfer to Manchester City on Deadline Day last summer, as referenced by sporting advisor Luis Campos. Liverpool’s interest in alternative targets such as Yankuba Minteh and Ibrahim Mbaye demonstrates the club’s determination to secure attacking reinforcements before the September 1 deadline, even if the Barcola deal proves too costly.
Prediction: Impact on Liverpool’s Season and Transfer Strategy
The outcome of Liverpool’s pursuit of Bradley Barcola, Ibrahim Mbaye, and Yankuba Minteh will have significant implications for the club’s attacking options and overall squad depth heading into the 2026-27 season. If Liverpool secure Barcola, the French winger would provide an immediate upgrade on the left flank and offer the creativity and goal-scoring threat needed to compensate for Mohamed Salah’s departure. Barcola’s reported agreement on personal terms suggests he is keen to join the Reds, which could accelerate negotiations and increase the likelihood of a deal being finalised before the deadline.
However, if PSG remain firm on their £145m valuation and Liverpool are unwilling to meet this demand, the club may pivot to alternative targets such as Minteh or Mbaye. Minteh’s ongoing recovery from leg surgery means he would not be available until October or November, which could limit his immediate impact but provide long-term depth. Mbaye, at 18 years old, represents a developmental prospect rather than an immediate solution, though his potential aligns with Liverpool’s strategy of investing in young talent.
For Liverpool supporters, the successful acquisition of Barcola would signal the club’s ambition to remain competitive in the Premier League and Champions League despite the loss of Salah. Conversely, failure to secure a high-profile winger could raise concerns about the squad’s ability to maintain its attacking prowess, particularly in the early stages of the season. The final week of the transfer window will be critical in determining whether Liverpool can achieve their objectives and provide Andoni Iraola with the attacking reinforcements he has identified as essential for the upcoming campaign.
