Liverpool will be able to give Bradley Barcola an ideal welcome present if he moves to Anfield this summer. The winger has been linked with a potential move to Anfield to replace Mohamed Salah, who left the Reds at the end of last season. Barcola, widely considered as one of the world’s best forwards, is said to feature prominently on Liverpool’s shortlist.
He remains tied down to Paris Saint-Germain until the summer of 2028 but is said to be stalling over a new contract. It’s been reported that he doesn’t want to agree fresh terms, meaning he could be allowed to leave the French capital ahead of next season. However, it certainly wouldn’t be a cheap deal for Liverpool, who spent more than any other Premier League club last summer.
According to talkSPORT, a transfer fee of around £145million would be required to secure Barcola’s signature. This would mark a new British record, surpassing the £125m paid by Liverpool to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle a year ago.
If the deal goes ahead, the Reds would be able to offer Barcola the perfect gift upon his arrival by handing him his preferred No 29 shirt.
The number has been vacant since it was last worn by Arthur Melo during his loan spell at Anfield in the 2022/23 season.
Barcola has previously stated that he plans to wear the number for the rest of his career, with the inspiration coming from his days playing FIFA as a youngster.
He said: “When I was young, I played FIFA. In story mode with Alex Hunter, this number became symbolic for me.
“I said to myself: ‘When I become a pro, it will be number 29.’ Now I’m here and I’ll never let it go.”
Should Barcola have a change of heart, he would be able to walk straight into the iconic No 11 shirt at Liverpool.
It remains unoccupied following Salah’s exit at the end of last season and has previously been worn by other legends such as Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman and John Barnes.
Handing the number to Barcola would suggest that Liverpool believe he is more than capable of following in the footsteps of Salah and his predecessors.
However, it seems likely that he would stick with No 29, which shouldn’t be a problem for the Merseyside giants.