Don’t you just love it when the most tedious of summer transfer window sagas finally come to an end? Bradley Barcola leaving Paris Saint-Germain and joining Liverpool was most certainly a very protracted transfer narrative. The long hold-up was due to, of course, money; big money. According to ESPN, Barcola will move over on a fee worth €140 million (£120M / $163M), with at least £100M ($116M) of that long dough guaranteed.
The rest of the total is based on performance based add-ons.
Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest FYIs
Kickoff: Sat. Aug. 29, 2026, 1230pm UK
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Team News/Match Preview: go here
Google Result Probability: Nottingham Forest 16% Draw 20% Liverpool 64%
PL Position, Form Guide: Nottingham Forest 15th, 0 pts L Liverpool 10th, 1 pts D
It’s a considerable amount below what PSG were initially asking for: £145M ($197M). All the haggling and bartering back and forth apparently worked, because now this deal is set to finally get over the line; pending medical and paperwork of course.
Barcola is a huge reason why PSG did the UCL and Ligue 1 doubles in consecutive seasons, and now he gets the opportunity to win trophies on Merseyside.
He immediately slots in on the right wing, in the position that Mo Salah very gloriously occupied for many years. Liverpool have been trying to fill that hole all summer long, and they will likely sign another winger before all is said and done next Tuesday when the window closes.
Manager Andoni Iraola has been clear about his club’s desire to sign two strikers. Barcola is not the most expensive player in Liverpool history though.
That honor still belongs to Alexander Isak, who moved over from Newcastle United for £125M ($145.5M) last summer. Perhaps everything might get wrapped up in time for Barcola to make his Reds debut on Saturday versus Nottingham Forest?
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.