Paris Saint-Germain have made their position on Bradley Barcola emphatically clear.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, the European champions consider the France winger not for sale, despite firm interest from Liverpool and Arsenal.
The message comes with a hefty valuation attached. The Athletic reports PSG believe the fees being speculated fall well short of Barcola’s worth, and that he should command more than the £116m Manchester City are paying for Elliot Anderson. That figure is designed to deter suitors rather than invite them.
PSG set Barcola price in message to Liverpool and Arsenal
Their financial standing reinforces the stance. Ornstein notes PSG have eased any need to sell after agreeing a club-record fee for Goncalo Ramos to join AC Milan.
Lee Kang-in and Randal Kolo Muani are both free to leave, but Barcola falls into a different bracket entirely.
The player’s own situation adds intrigue. The Athletic reports Barcola appears reluctant to sign a new deal and is pushing for more starts, having found regular minutes harder to come by under Luis Enrique. That tension is what has alerted his admirers.
Other outlets frame it differently, it should be said. Some reporting suggests the winger is actively pushing to leave and that a sale remains possible, so the saga may not be as closed as PSG’s public stance implies.
The Premier League interest is well established. Liverpool turned to Barcola after Yan Diomande chose PSG, still seeking a replacement for Mohamed Salah.
Arsenal, meanwhile, admire him as a left-sided option amid uncertainty over Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli.
Barcola underlined his value at the World Cup, scoring in France’s 3-0 win over Sweden. He has two goals and an assist in just 202 tournament minutes, with France facing Paraguay in the last 16.
