Bradley Barcola is officially the fastest player in the Premier League after only half an hour of football
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Liverpool fans have had their appetite whetted for Bradley Barcola after watching an enticing 30-minute debut during Friday’s win over Ipswich Town.There had been some hope that the Frenchman would start for Liverpool at Portman Road, but though he had admitted to being tempted by the thought of throwing his new signing straight in, Andoni Iraola took the wiser choice of introducing Barcola as a second-half substitute instead.Though he was not quite as involved as supporters might have hoped, the 24-year-old still showed plenty of promise, and having been brought in largely to inject some pace into Liverpool’s attack, Barcola recorded what is already the fastest top speed in the Premier League this season. What did you think of Bradley Barcola’s Liverpool debut against Ipswich?
The Frenchman could get his first start against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday Photo Credit: Getty Images/Liverpool FC Barcola hits top speed against IpswichHis pace is not the only reason Liverpool wanted to sign Barcola, obviously. Nevertheless, after looking so one-paced for much of last season, it was clear that introducing speed back into the Liverpool front line was paramount to the Reds’ summer recruitment.In Barcola they have certainly done that, and his top speed of 35.9km/h is officially the fastest recorded in the two-and-a-bit Premier League matchdays in 2026/27 so far.The France international sits just ahead of Coventry’s Milan van Ewijk, on 35.3km/h, but that he could hit that in such a short time on the pitch is hugely exciting for Liverpool fans.READ MORE: Andoni Iraola shares how close Bradley Barcola is to full fitness after Liverpool debut vs IpswichPhoto by Shaun Botterill/Getty ImagesIt’s also worth noting that Barcola is not the only pace merchant within Iraola’s squad.Victor Munoz is absolutely rapid as well, and the Spaniard sits inside the top 11 in the Premier League so far, after hitting 34.8km/h.So too does Alexander Isak, who recorded the same speed during last weekend’s clash with Nottingham Forest.Cody Gakpo obviously has plenty to say about it, but there are times this season when Barcola, Isak and Munoz will be Liverpool’s front three.
That will be incredibly difficult to stop for any defence.The scary part is that they are only just getting going, and for Barcola and Munoz in particular, it would be a surprise if they do not improve on these speeds during the remaining 35 matches. Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox