The Winners and Losers From Liverpool’s Blockbuster Bradley Barcola Transfer

After a summer of attempted compromise, Bradley Barcola is finally a Liverpool player. The Reds have announced his $166 million arrival from Paris Saint-Germain on the penultimate day of the summer transfer window.

Barcola joins the Merseyside club off the back of a productive career in the French capital, serving as the fourth horseman in Luis Enrique‘s scintillating frontline.

The jet-heeled star was often second fiddle in crunch time for PSG, but his body of work for the back-to-back European champions means his mammoth price tag is justified.

A new dawn is being ushered in at Anfield with stalwarts of a bygone era gradually fading away. Liverpool have spent, and spent big, to ensure the transition is smooth, and Barcola certainly boasts ’face of the franchise’ potential.

Winners

Florian Wirtz

The arrival of another mammoth transfer may well ease the burden on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, both of whom have struggled to assert themselves at Anfield after becoming the club’s two most expensive transfers last summer.

And Wirtz, in particular, should grow to love working with Barcola. The German remains imperfect, but there were positive steps in Saturday’s 2–2 draw with Nottingham Forest.

Wirtz contributed to both goals, having accessed enough space between the lines to deliver a pair of killer passes, the second of which directly led to Víctor Muñoz’s fierce deflected strike. Liverpool had success getting the ball to Wirtz in areas where he typically thrives, which was an issue next season.

If Wirtz also has a willing runner like Barcola ahead of him, then expect the German’s output to increase in his sophomore year.

Liverpool’s newest recruit is a master of the out-to-in run, as Sadio Mané was for so many years on Merseyside, and his speed often renders any attempts by recovering defenders futile. It may take some time for their connection to flourish, but once it does... watch out. Wirtz is the subtle playmaker Barcola sorely needs.

Andoni Iraola

Liverpool have curiously collected a group of wide players who seemingly all prefer playing on the left, despite Iraola’s adoration of versatile wingers who are capable on either side.

Barcola had to play across the frontline under Enrique, whose preaching of positional fluidity has rendered PSG so tough to stop, but his best work, where those out-to-in runs wreak havoc, has come from the left-hand side.

Some shoehorning might be required down the opposite flank if Ismaïla Sarr doesn’t arrive on Deadline Day, with Barcola expected to be the first-choice down the left. On the surface, he seems like an excellent fit for Liverpool’s new manager.

Iraola is a facilitator of chaos: a Marcelo Bielsa-lite. His Bournemouth teams were vertical and direct, with Antoine Semenyo a particular beneficiary of the long balls delivered by the Cherries’ center backs over the top of defenses. Barcola could become the Semenyo-like figure in Iraola’s Liverpool. He’s a different physical profile, but there are similarities in terms of skill set.

Barcola isn’t merely a speed demon. He combines effectively in short spaces, is ever so intelligent with his movement and is a willing runner out of possession. The Frenchman ticks a lot of boxes for the new manager.

Paris Saint-Germain

Nasser Al-Khelaifi — PSG have sold at the right time. | Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Champions League holders have remodelled their attack this summer. The additions of Ferran Torres and Maghnes Akliouche risked over-crowding, and this felt like the right time to move on from Barcola.

The 23-year-old’s stock is high off the back of double-digit scoring seasons in two consecutive Ligue 1 campaigns, not to mention the useful contributions, often off the bench, in the latter stages of PSG’s runs to Champions League glory.

There are few ’elite’ wide players in soccer, and Barcola is certainly on the brink. PSG may have coaxed more out of him, but they can’t be too displeased given the fee. An acceptable compromise was reached with Liverpool, who have made the Frenchman their joint-second most expensive transfer ever. It’s PSG’s record sale, too.

The Parisians should be okay with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué continuing to lead their attack, and the inevitable Ferran delivering when called upon. However, there is pressure on Akliouche to fill Barcola’s boots.

Losers

Arsenal

Bukayo Saka, Christos Tzolis — Arsenal haven’t added an X-factor talent in attack. | Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Liverpool faced little resistance from elsewhere in their pursuit of Barcola, and some Arsenal supporters might be wondering why the Gunners didn’t compete with the Reds.

Arsenal have been expected all summer to make one major splash in attack. Christos Tzolis was signed to replace Leandro Trossard, and there was a point when it looked like the Greek international would be followed through the door by Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior.

The Premier League champions made a serious push for the Brazilian, who ultimately decided to sign a new deal with Madrid. Arsenal have since pivoted to Julián Alvarez, but striking a deal with the Argentine seems unlikely before the deadline.

Remarkably, there‘s a chance that the Gunners end the summer window having only swapped Trossard for Tzolis. That X-factor arrival many projected could’ve been Barcola, but Arsenal, if they were ever seriously interested, weren’t willing to sign the 23-year-old beyond a certain price. They did the same with Morgan Rogers, who ended up at Chelsea.

Arsenal’s discipline should perhaps be commended, and they’re well-placed to claim back-to-back titles with what they’ve already got. To go one step further in the Champions League, though, the Gunners may rue allowing Barcola to sign for Liverpool.

Cody Gakpo

Barcola’s arrival has not unlocked Cody Gakpo’s departure to Manchester City, with recent reports suggesting that the Dutchman will now only leave once Liverpool have struck a deal to sign Ismaïla Sarr from Crystal Palace.

Gakpo has been in a state of limbo for a little while. His agent’s been busy offering him around, but the player has remained professional, and Iraola has counted on him at the start of his reign. After scoring in the 2–2 draw at Newcastle United, Gakpo teed up Alexander Isak against Forest on Saturday.

It’s been a productive start to the season, but if he remains on Liverpool’s books with Barcola in the mix, Gakpo’s minutes, certainly down the left, will dwindle.

Instead, we’ll likely see the forward play down the right, but drift into central areas when the fullback is high enough to provide the width. Jeremie Frimpong’s forays meant Gakpo essentially operated as a second striker on Saturday.

It’s a role he performed pretty well, but Iraola will be doing plenty of shoehorning if Sarr isn’t a Red come Wednesday morning.

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