Barcola Sidelined by PSG Until Liverpool Transfer is Finalized

Bradley Barcola will not play for Paris Saint-Germain until his transfer to Liverpool is settled. Luis Enrique has sidelined the 23-year-old winger for the Trophée des champions, and the player is also expected to miss Sunday’s opening Ligue 1 match against Rennes.

The French international has already reached a contract agreement with the Reds, but PSG and Liverpool have yet to agree on the transfer fee. Pending a resolution, the club has chosen to protect its player rather than keep him in the squad.

« He is our son and we want to protect him, » a PSG source told L’Équipe. The source added: « There are studies showing that when a player is mentally disturbed, the injury risk is higher. It’s a decision by the coach, but it’s also because Bradley is not 100 % available. »

Luis Enrique had already set the tone before the loss to Lens (1-0), in which Barcola was also not used. « When a player doesn’t have a smile coming here, it’s better to find another solution, » the Spanish manager said. Asked after the Trophée des champions about the future of the former Lyon player, he refused to say more: « I’ll talk about the transfer market when the transfer market is over. »

Formed at Lyon before joining Paris in 2023, Barcola had delivered a convincing season under Luis Enrique’s management. His departure would represent a significant loss for PSG, which is rebuilding its sporting project after the departures of Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. The two clubs will now need to find financial common ground to unlock a situation that is paralyzing all parties’ plans.