Paris Saint Germain winger Bradley Barcola is on the verge of becoming a Liverpool player after a £120m breakthrough, and Andoni Iraola has delivered a decisive message. Speaking on FSG high-stakes transfer strategy, Iraola outlines why the club are remaining disciplined to ensure only the right players arrive.
Bradley Barcola is finally set to become a Liverpool player.
On Thursday 27th August, it was widely reported that the Reds had agreed a £120 million fee with Paris Saint-Germain to sign the French attacker, of which £100 million is guaranteed, plus £20 million in achievable add-ons.
From Andoni Iraola's perspective, he would have wanted this deal to have been finalised weeks ago, so surely cannot wait to start working with the 23 year old. Speaking during the embargoed section of Thursday's pre-Nottingham Forest press conference at AXA Training Centre, Iraola refused to be drawn on specific incoming signings, but spoke openly about what he is looking for from a new winger.
"I think for a club like us we need wingers who can make the difference, who can be the man who can make the difference in isolation, who can attack the spaces, who can also do the defensive work that we are going to demand from them in terms of pressing or sometimes following the full-backs... It is difficult to find someone who can tick all the boxes, but it is what we are trying to do."Andoni Iraola on new signings
Well, to use Iraola's own words, Barcola surely ticks all the boxes. Since joining PSG from Olympique Lyonnais three years ago, he has scored 39 goals and racked up 37 assists in 152 appearances for les Rouge-et-Bleu. Still only 23 years old, he is one of the most exciting and talented wide attackers on the planet, so represents a serious coup for the Reds.
Iraola conceded "I definitely would have preferred to have the wingers ready on the first day" of pre-season, while acknowledging "I understand that it's not easy in the market... but as long as we arrive at the right place at the end... I think it would be worth it".
So, when might we see Barcola in the red of Liverpool for the first time? Well, he will not be signed in time to face Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday lunchtime. Thus, his debut could come at the picturesque setting that is Portman Road against Ipswich Town next Friday night.
Liverpool's next fixture after that will be in the Champions League. In Thursday's draw, the Reds' landed Atlético Madrid, Porto, Villarreal and Lens at home, as well as away trips at Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Fenerbahçe and LASK.
So, depending on how the fixtures fall, Barcola's first outing at Anfield could come on a European night, or simply when Fulham visit the following weekend.
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