Bradley Barcola Liverpool start — Bradley Barcola has acknowledged that his early weeks at Liverpool have not yet produced his finest form, but the winger is determined to be judged on his own identity rather than as the successor to Mohamed Salah. Speaking about his £123m move from Paris Saint-Germain, Barcola said supporters have not seen the complete version of him yet.
Finding rhythm after a slow beginning
Barcola went without a goal or an assist in his first ten appearances for club and country this season, a run that invited scrutiny given the size of the fee that brought him to Merseyside. The has since brightened: he scored a hat-trick in Liverpool’s Champions League victory over LASK and followed it with assists in wins against Brighton and Brentford. Against Arsenal, he did not register a goal contribution, but his first-half running troubled the Premier League champions.
Even so, Barcola is not satisfied. He explained that he and his team-mates are still learning how to bring out the best in one another, and he believes that process will lift his performances further. In his view, people around the club are starting to grasp how he likes to play, and the improvement is already visible.
No burden from the price tag or Salah's legacy
Barcola arrived as Liverpool’s marquee attacking signing following Salah’s departure, and he is the club’s second-most expensive recruit after Alexander Isak. Isak and Florian Wirtz, who joined in deals that could reach a combined £241m, have also faced questions about their adaptation, which underlines how much patience big-money moves can require.
The Frenchman insists neither the fee nor Salah’s shadow weighs on him. He pointed out that he did not set the transfer price, so it is not something he treats as his own problem. As for Salah, Barcola described the Egyptian as a legend who achieved great things at Anfield and said he holds him in enormous respect — while making clear that he is not trying to replicate him. Barcola’s aim, he said, is to contribute what he can and leave his own mark on the club’s history.
Why the time was right to leave PSG
Barcola left Paris after winning the Champions League in back-to-back seasons, yet he was often a backup in Luis Enrique’s setup. He was a regular in domestic football, where his contributions helped deliver league titles, but in the biggest European ties he frequently started on the bench. The competition ahead of him included Ousmane Dembele, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue, with Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Joao Neves also in the squad.
That situation led him to reject a new contract and seek a fresh challenge. Barcola said leaving PSG was difficult because the club had felt like a family and the group had built something special, but he felt the moment had arrived to move on. When Liverpool came calling, he had no doubts about accepting. He added that he hopes things go well for PSG.
Liverpool's season and the Arsenal setback
Liverpool are working under Andoni Iraola, who took over after Arne Slot’s final year, and Barcola believes the team has improved. Results against Manchester City and Arsenal at Anfield, however, have illustrated the gap to the elite. In the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, Liverpool failed to record a shot on target at home for the first time since Premier League data records began, and they sit second-bottom in the league this season for big chances created.
Barcola does not think the setback should alter the club’s ambitions for the campaign. He felt Liverpool had chances to score and even win against Arsenal, and he argued that the side needs to control matches better and keep the ball on the ground more often instead of resorting to long balls. The players were disappointed, he said, but they know what must improve, and they are not giving up. With other teams expected to drop points, he stressed the importance of consistency until the end of the season.
Liverpool face Fenerbahce in the Champions League on Wednesday before travelling to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday.
