Liverpool are reportedly prepared to discontinue discussions for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, potentially opening a path for Arsenal to pursue the player. Negotiations between Liverpool and PSG have been ongoing, but an agreement is not considered imminent.
PSG has reportedly set an asking price for Barcola. With the transfer deadline approaching in three weeks, Liverpool is said to be ready to withdraw from talks and explore other targets to strengthen their squad.
Arsenal’s Interest in Barcola
Liverpool’s potential shift in focus could draw the attention of Arsenal. The Gunners are still seeking a significant signing after their unsuccessful attempt to acquire Vinicius Junior, who instead signed a new long-term contract with Real Madrid.
Arsenal is reportedly interested in Barcola, despite having already brought in Christos Tzolis for the left flank. They are said to be monitoring the situation, waiting to see if Liverpool exits negotiations, which would allow Arsenal to make a bid.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, has indicated that the club aims to make additional signings this summer. He stated that if the right player becomes available to improve the team, they are eager to pursue that opportunity.
Arsenal recently spent £75m to sign Bruno Guimaraes. Arteta is now thought to be looking for forwards to further bolster the squad.
Alternative Targets and Other Transfer Rumours
Among Liverpool’s alternative targets is Ibrahim Mbaye, an 18-year-old teammate of Barcola at PSG.
In other transfer news, Galatasaray is reportedly exploring a deal to sign Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. Meanwhile, Lewis Hall continues to express his desire to join Manchester United to Newcastle United.
Aston Villa has initiated a move for Juventus striker Jonathan David. His potential departure could enable Juventus to proceed with their plan to sign Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United. Another striker of interest to Aston Villa is Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, who is valued at $69 million (£51 million) by Chelsea and also admired by Tottenham Hotspur.
Manchester City is reportedly interested in reuniting manager Enzo Maresca with Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández. However, they would only pursue this move if Rodri’s proposed exit progresses significantly. Chelsea expects Fernández to remain at the club at this stage of the transfer window and plans to increase his asking price above $162 million (£120 million) after the Premier League season begins.
Chelsea is not interested in permanently selling winger Mykhailo Mudryk this summer but is considering loan options for the Ukrainian player. A loan to Strasbourg has been suggested, but Mudryk reportedly prefers to join another Premier League team, with interest registered from various clubs across Europe.
Inter is nearing an agreement to sign Tottenham right-back Djed Spence for over $35 million (£26 million). In La Liga, Rodri’s decision to join Barcelona over Real Madrid was reportedly not financially motivated, as both clubs offered a four-year deal worth $17 million (€15 million) annually; his choice was based on the locker room environment he preferred.
Barcelona is also exploring options to replace center-back Ronald Araújo following his loan to Liverpool, considering four possibilities: Tottenham’s Cristian Romero, Athletic Club’s Aymeric Laporte, and Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni as potential signings, or promoting 21-year-old Álvaro Cortés to the senior squad. Interest in a new center-back reportedly led to a heated discussion between manager Hansi Flick and Jules Koundé, who prefers to play centrally but has been used at right-back, leading him to consider leaving. Arsenal is among the teams that have shown interest in Koundé.
Real Madrid had the opportunity to pursue Arsenal midfielder Martín Zubimendi earlier this summer but declined, believing he was not suitable for their long-term project. Despite some reports, Barcelona is not interested in signing Inter striker Lautaro Martínez as an alternative to Atlético Madrid’s Julián Alvarez.
Newcastle is looking to strengthen their left-back and right-back positions and has reportedly checked on 19-year-old Jorge Salinas at Racing Santander, alongside Aston Villa.
In the EFL, Wrexham has inquired about Ipswich Town’s Alex Palmer as a potential new goalkeeper for the Championship season. In Scottish football, Celta Vigo is confident of securing the signing of Couhaib Driouech over Rangers.
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has banned transgender women from all competitive female matches, including internal club competitions.
The transfer deadline is now just three weeks away.
Source: standard.co.uk
