Barcola within reach for Liverpool after Diomande opts for PSG

Liverpool's pursuit of a world-class winger to fill Mohamed Salah's void has taken a significant turn, with sources suggesting that Yan Diomande's decision to join Paris Saint-Germain has inadvertently cleared a path for a move for PSG's Bradley Barcola.

The Egyptian winger announced his departure from Anfield back in March, prompting the Reds to scour the market for his successor. Having already secured Victor Munoz from Osasuna earlier in the window, Liverpool remain intent on landing another elite attacking talent before the deadline.

Diomande, the RB Leipzig prospect from Ivory Coast, had emerged as the club's primary target. However, the midfielder opted for the Parisian project on Sunday, leaving Liverpool's €100m proposal in tatters. That sum now sits available for redeployment elsewhere.

Enter Barcola. The PSG winger has long been on Liverpool's radar – indeed, he featured on their wishlist during the summer of 2025 – and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has maintained that the France international remains a genuine possibility for the Reds. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano highlighted that while PSG have yet to grant Barcola permission to depart, the situation remains fluid.

"The scenario is still open, and there remains a genuine possibility that Barcola could leave Paris during this transfer window," Romano explained, noting that PSG's current attention is turning towards incoming business. The French giants are prioritising the exits of Nordi Mukiele (poised to join AC Milan for €14 million) and Randal Kolo Muani, with Juventus negotiations progressing following personal terms agreement.

Crucially, Romano had previously outlined exactly this sequence of events back in May – Liverpool making their move for Barcola while PSG focused on recruiting Diomande. That prediction now appears to be unfolding.

The breakthrough came on Sunday evening when Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri revealed that Liverpool have initiated direct negotiations with PSG regarding Barcola. With Diomande's transfer now confirmed, Tavolieri reported that the winger is "expected to leave" the Parisians this summer, with the Reds among the clubs already in conversation with the French club.

Whether PSG ultimately sanction the departure remains the outstanding question – but for Liverpool, the window of opportunity appears to have swung open.