With Liverpool closing in on one of the standout transfer sagas of the summer, all eyes turned to Austria on Tuesday evening to see if Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique would offer any clues about Bradley Barcola’s future.
The 23-year-old France international is a primary target for new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola as he seeks to add real firepower to the attack.
Talks between the two clubs have progressed steadily, with a deal in principle understood to be agreed in the region of €128 million (£110m).
With Barcola entering the final two years of his contract and showing no intention of extending his stay in the French capital, his departure has felt increasingly inevitable a feeling reinforced by PSG’s swift moves for Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche and Ajax winger Mika Godts.
Yet, as PSG prepare to face Europa League winners Aston Villa in Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup showdown at the Red Bull Arena, Luis Enrique predictably chose to not answer questions regarding Anfield's prospective new arrival.
Luis Enrique stays tight-lipped
When pressed on Barcola’s potential move to Merseyside, the former Barcelona boss straight-banked the line of questioning.
"I don’t know and I don’t want to speak about any player individually," Luis Enrique said. "Because it’s always dangerous when you are asking something positive or negative about a player. I stay focused on my team."
Barcola only returned to Paris last Monday alongside PSG’s other French and Spanish international stars following his impressive three-goal display at the World Cup.
His build-up to the Super Cup has been further complicated by illness, which saw him miss parts of training over recent days, though he remains in the squad to face Villa.
"We are going to train today," Luis Enrique added. "We are trying to analyse everything and after that we are going to make our decision.
"It’s a surreal situation. The international players, French, Spanish, arrived on Monday. That’s just one week. But we prepared in the best way possible and we’re happy to play this game, because it means we won an important title, the Champions League. It’s very important for us and our club to win. But in terms of preparation, it’s not what it should have been."
Frustration and ambition in Austria
The disrupted pre-season hasn't been PSG's only source of annoyance since landing in Salzburg. Upon arriving at the Red Bull Arena, the French champions found their allocated dressing room was simply not big enough for their squad, forcing UEFA officials to scramble to allocate extra space.
Despite those logistical headaches, Luis Enrique—who has picked up nine trophies over two remarkably dominant seasons in Paris—insists his side’s appetite for success remains undiminished as they aim to emulate Real Madrid by capturing a third consecutive Champions League crown.
"We set out ambitious objectives and we continue to do so," he explained. "In this moment it’s a different scenario because everyone thinks we can win again. But we need to show our level on the pitch.
"If you look back in history it’s difficult to find a team that wins all the time – but that’s what we are striving for."
That relentless drive was echoed by PSG captain Marquinhos, who reflected on the high standards set by the Spaniard since his arrival three years ago.
"It’s the philosophy of the club, the coach and the management," Marquinhos said. "Every day in training sessions our coach is looking to strive for the best. On day one he said we have Everest to climb and we keep going up and trying to improve and improve."
For Liverpool supporters, Wednesday night's fixture provides them a viewing to watch Barcola in action in PSG navy before a potential blockbuster arrival at Anfield.
Whether the winger features prominently against Villa or remains protected on the bench, Iraola and the Anfield hierarchy remain confident of getting their man over the line in the coming weeks.
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