Barcola omitted from PSG squad for third straight game as Liverpool chase £145m winger

Bradley Barcola has been excluded from Paris Saint-Germain’s squad for the third game in a row, deepening speculation over his future as Liverpool and Arsenal maintain their interest in the 23-year-old France international. The winger was absent for PSG’s victory over Aston Villa in the Super Cup, their defeat to Lens in the French Super Cup, and now Luis Enrique’s 21-man selection for Sunday’s Ligue 1 opener at Rennes.

Liverpool are actively seeking a winger but remain a long way from PSG’s £145m valuation of Barcola. The English side had a separate £60m bid for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh rejected on Friday, and their only winger signing this summer has been Victor Munoz from Osasuna. Head coach Andoni Iraola was candid about the shortfall in his squad ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Newcastle.

“I hate these two weeks or 10 days that we have because there is a lot of uncertainty,” Iraola said on Friday. “You are asking what we need, there are certain situations that for me are clear, especially on the wing because we don’t have enough players specifically to play in those positions.”

Arsenal are also monitoring the situation, having recently explored a move for Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz as they look to reinforce the left side of their attack.

Barcola’s prospects at PSG have dimmed considerably after the club signed three attackers this summer: Spain’s World Cup winner Ferran Torres from Barcelona, Belgian winger Mika Godts from Ajax, and France international Maghnes Akliouche from Marseille. All three feature in the squad to face Rennes. Combined with the continued presence of Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Desire Doue, Barcola’s path to regular minutes under Enrique looks narrow.

The 18-year-old PSG forward Ibrahim Mbaye, who has also been linked with Liverpool, is similarly absent from the Rennes squad. Liverpool’s pursuit of Barcola is widely seen as part of their effort to replace Mohamed Salah, though bridging the gap between their valuation and PSG’s £145m demand remains the central obstacle.