Liverpool transfer 'alternative' left Olivier Giroud stunned with his attitude
Former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud hailed the attitude of Bradley Barcola, the PSG star linked with a move to Liverpool. The Reds are all in on Alexander Isak, despite seeing a £110million bid rejected already, but Kop chiefs are big fans of the 22-year-old too.
Barcola joined PSG in 2023 and took on the intimidating task of replacing his compatriot Kylian Mbappe, when he left for Real Madrid last summer - a responsibility he certainly hasn't shirked. While Barcola was involved in a permanent battle for a starting place under Luis Enrique, he scored 21 goals and bagged 19 assists in all competitions as PSG won Ligue 1 and the Champions League last season.
French outlet L'Equipe has claimed that Liverpool are keen on Barcola, but Mirror Football understands that while there's admiration at Anfield, there'll be no move at this time.
Liverpool are pushing for Isak, while Paris Saint-Germain aren't willing to let him leave this summer regardless - while Barcola himself isn't pushing to move.
Suggestions he could be an alternative to Isak - allowing Hugo Ekitike to exclusively be used as the starting No.9 - aren't right, with Liverpool showing in the past that they won't pivot to secondary targets if they don't secure their first choice. There is also the matter of giving Rio Ngumoha, the 16-year-old sensation, room into which to grow.
That's not to say that Barcola won't be of interest down the line however. And French icon Giroud has given the youngster a glowing recommendation, praising his confidence after Barcola made a £43.5m move to the French Champions.
"He's a shy guy in the dressing room," Giroud said in his column for L'Equipe in April 2024. "But he's very intelligent. You have some people who talk a lot. But the guy who is shy… they see everything and, afterwards, if you give advice to that guy, he knows what he has to do.
"He has always been discreet off the field. He is someone who speaks little… What surprised me about him, and about today's young players, is how confident they are during their early training sessions. Especially him.
"From the start, he showed what he's capable of. You can see the potential. He still has room to grow, but he's already very skilled in dribbling and penetration."
Former Lyon assistant manager Franck Passi echoed Giroud's comments that Barcola cuts a reserved nature, yet his talent is boundless, as is his adaptability.
'He's a shy guy in the dressing room. But he's very intelligent," Passi said to The Athletic. "You have some people who talk a lot. But the guy who is shy… they see everything and, afterwards, if you give advice to that guy, he knows what he has to do.
'Today, because he's full of confidence, he is able to do other things and showing all his skills when cutting inside. We see his ability in front of the near post; he can score goals, can cross, can play a key pass. He can do anything."
With Darwin Nunez on the brink of a move to Al-Hilal, Luis Diaz already departing for Bayern Munich and the untimely tragic death of Diogo Jota, there has been a need for attacking reinforcements at Anfield.
The futures of Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa are also in doubt.
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