Liverpool sign Barcola in £123m deal and expect Gakpo to stay after City offer £80m
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Guardian or go back to LFC Live.
Bradley Barcola is aiming to win the Premier League after completing his move to Liverpool from Paris Saint-Germain for an initial £106m, which could rise to £123m. Barcola follows the arrival of Victor Muñoz as the former Bournemouth head coach aims to rebuild the front line.“It took a long time but I’m really happy today to be able to play for Liverpool and all I want is to be on the pitch and be able to play,” Barcola said.
It is to do that and to stay in this team in the long term – that’s why I signed a long contract – and I hope I can do it.”Barcola, who will be 24 on Wednesday, was a long-term target for Liverpool, who have tracked his progress over a number of seasons. Completing the transfer has been delayed while PSG waited to make signings to compensate for the exit of the former Lyon player, who attracted interested from other clubs but was adamant that he was willing only to join Liverpool.Quick GuideHow do I sign up for sport breaking news alerts?ShowIn the Guardian app, tap the Profile settings button at the top right, then select Notifications.
Turn on sport notifications.If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.If you don't have the Guardian app, download it from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.“When I knew about Liverpool’s interest in me, I didn’t ask questions and I knew it was a very big club for me,” Barcola said.The Frenchman will probably be Liverpool’s final incoming. The midfielder returned this summer from a similar spell at Aston Villa, where he failed to make an impression and although he was part of the pre-season plans, has failed to make the squad for the opening two Premier League fixtures.Liverpool have targeted younger players in this window, evidenced by the signings of Barcola, the 21-year-old Jérémy Jacquet and the 23-year-old Muñoz in the hope of building a squad for the long term.