PSG want to sign Liverpool transfer target, club believe he can be Kylian Mbappe's replacement – Reports
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have reportedly identified Liverpool-linked star Bradley Barcola as a potential Kylian Mbappe replacement. They are keen to add the Lyon attacker to their squad this summer itself.
The Parisians are currently preparing for life after Mbappe as the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner stated last month that he will not extend his deal beyond 2024. They are keeping tabs on a host of forwards now.
According to Todofichajes, PSG are considered to be the front-runners to sign Barcola in the ongoing summer transfer window. They have already started initial talks with Lyon to sign the Frenchman soon.
Luis Enrique's side are likely to be unopposed in their pursuit of Barcola in the near future. They are thought to have edged ahead of other top European clubs such as Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Atletico Madrid.
PSG, who are currently in the midst of a major squad revamp, have earmarked the right-footed wide operator as a potential long-term replacement for Mbappe. They are of the opinion that the Lyon forward could cement himself as a crucial starter at the Parc des Princes in the upcoming few seasons.
Barcola, 20, shot to fame last season due to his stellar performances on both the flanks for Les Gones. He scored seven goals and provided 10 assists in just 1788 minutes of first-team action last term. He started 20 of his 31 appearances across all competitions along the way.
So far, PSG have signed seven new first-team stars this summer. They have roped in Manuel Ugarte, Lucas Hernandez, Hugo Ekitike, and Kang-in Lee for over £133 million. They have also snapped up Milan Skriniar, Marco Asensio, and Cher Ndour on respective Bosman switches.
Why is Liverpool keen to sign PSG target?
Similar to PSG, Liverpool are currently in the process of rebuilding their squad with an eye on the future. They have been keeping an eye on Bradley Barcola with as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah in the near future, as per Football Transfers.
However, it is still unclear whether the Reds will launch a move to snap up Barcola this summer itself or during a subsequent transfer window.
Meanwhile, Salah is expected to retain his starting berth on the Reds' right flank in the 2023-24 season. He will be hoping to guide them to a top-four Premier League spot after their fifth-placed finish last term.
Apart from Salah, Liverpool currently have Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, and Darwin Nunez as their first-team forwards. They also have academy products Ben Doak and Kaide Gordon as two backup stars.