PSG Form Dip Raises Questions Around Barcola Future
There was a point earlier this season when Bradley Barcola looked untouchable in the forward line at Paris Saint-Germain. Electric in transition, fearless in one-on-one situations and relentlessly direct, the France international carried much of the attacking burden while others drifted in and out of form.
Now, just weeks before the Champions League final against Arsenal, uncertainty surrounds both his fitness and his long-term future. According to the original report from French outlet L’Équipe, Barcola has struggled badly since suffering an ankle injury against Chelsea in March.
Luis Enrique’s frustration has reportedly become increasingly visible. During PSG’s recent win at Lens, the winger was substituted at half-time purely because of his decision-making. That is a rare public rebuke from a manager who usually protects his attacking players.
The numbers underline the downturn. Barcola has registered just one assist and no goals across his last nine appearances. More concerning is the drop in sharpness. The player who once terrified defenders with acceleration and fearless movement now appears hesitant, almost cautious in duels.
L’Équipe described him as searching for his “physical and technical sensations” again after the ankle injury. Those close to the player reportedly admit he is “not at 100 per cent”.
Arsenal Interest Builds Before Transfer Window Opens
That decline has not scared off admirers across Europe. If anything, it has sharpened attention around a player many clubs still view as one of the most explosive young wide forwards in football.
Both Arsenal and Liverpool continue to monitor the situation closely ahead of the summer transfer window. The report states Liverpool’s interest is genuine, although there is awareness at Anfield that Barcola is most effective operating from the left side.
Arsenal’s admiration also remains strong. Mikel Arteta’s side have consistently searched for greater pace and unpredictability in wide areas, particularly against deep defensive blocks. Barcola fits that profile naturally. At his best, he attacks space aggressively and stretches defensive lines in ways very few wingers can.
The timing is significant. PSG are expected to recruit another attacking player this summer, increasing competition in an already crowded forward line featuring Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué.
L’Équipe also reports that all contract discussions at PSG have been frozen until after the Champions League final. Barcola remains under contract until 2028, but the coming months are described as “a turning point” in his career.
That wording matters.
Elite clubs rarely wait for certainty before moving. Arsenal and Liverpool will know that even a slightly unsettled situation at PSG could create an opportunity that may not exist again.
Liverpool Recruitment Focus Could Shape Barcola Decision
Liverpool’s recruitment team are understood to be prioritising attacking additions capable of operating across multiple positions. Barcola’s pace, pressing ability and vertical running make him an obvious fit stylistically.
Yet there are complications.
The report notes Liverpool are currently more focused on a specialist right-sided attacker. There is also considerable excitement around teenage talent Rio Ngumoha, who is viewed internally as a major long-term option on the left flank.
Even so, clubs operating at Liverpool’s level rarely dismiss elite market opportunities entirely. If Barcola became genuinely available, the calculus could shift quickly.
For Arsenal, the attraction appears more straightforward. Arteta has built a side capable of dominating possession but occasionally lacking incision in transition during the biggest matches. Barcola’s directness offers something different.
His best football this season came between February and mid-March when he delivered five goals and two assists in ten matches. During that stretch he looked like one of Europe’s most devastating transition players.
That version of Barcola remains the one Arsenal and Liverpool are tracking.
Champions League Final Could Define Next Step
Football careers can pivot brutally fast. Six months ago Barcola looked central to PSG’s long-term project. Now he faces the possibility of starting the Champions League final on the bench.
L’Équipe suggests Désiré Doué is currently favourite to start alongside Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia against Arsenal in Budapest. Luis Enrique has left the door open publicly, insisting players can still “show things in training”, but Barcola appears to have lost ground.
There is also the looming World Cup with France this summer. Didier Deschamps still sees Barcola as an important attacking option, particularly with his ability to stretch matches from the left wing. But his recent performances have raised legitimate concerns about rhythm and confidence.
For Arsenal and Liverpool, this is the balancing act. Do they focus on the current dip or the bigger picture?
Because the bigger picture still shows a 23-year-old attacker with elite pace, high-level Champions League experience and the rare ability to destabilise organised defensive structures almost single-handedly.
Players with those qualities do not stay available for long.
