'Amazing signing' - Merseyside insider drops Bradley Barcola to Liverpool claim

Bradley Barcola would undoubtedly be worthy of a potential £140million investment from Liverpool this summer.

That is according to former Everton chief executive and well-connected Merseyside expert Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes the PSG winger would provide the "X factor" that the Reds have lost in Mohamed Salah.

The Merseysiders are reportedly preparing an opening offer of £100m for the France international, but that falls significantly short of PSG's £140m valuation.

Nevertheless, Wyness believes that Liverpool would still be getting value for money if they paid the full price for Barcola, such is the quality that he would provide.

The 23-year-old is firmly down the pecking order in the French capital, but still managed 11 goals from just 21 starts in Ligue 1 last term.

He has already made it clear that he won't be signing a new contract with PSG, and has now decided that he wants to join Liverpool, according to Alex Crook.

Keith Wyness: Liverpool strong favourites for Bradley Barcola

Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Liverpool remain the strong favourites to secure Barcola's signature this summer.

Interest from Arsenal has also been lurking in the background, but it is Andoni Iraola and Co. who are best-placed to get the deal done.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained that he feels Barcola would be well-suited to working under Iraola.

"I do think Liverpool are very much the favourites to try and get him. I think that would be an amazing signing for Liverpool; he's what they need," he said.

"It would be a very big, positive signing for Liverpool. I think he'd do well; I think he'll work well with Iraola as well. At that sort of price, I think actually he's probably worth it if you look at the comparative transfers. 

"We said right at the top of the show that there's a lot of money flying around now and this is an example of it, but I'm afraid that's where it's going. 

"That's football inflation, and it's incredible, but Barcola certainly is a performer that I think will do it week in, week out in the Premier League and can really be a big X factor for Liverpool."

Liverpool's 'top priority' transfer is not Barcola

Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider earlier this week that Barcola is not the "top priority" for Liverpool in the rest of the transfer window.

The ex-recruitment indicated that the Reds are instead desperate to sign a "top-class centre-back," amid ongoing concerns in that area.

Giovanni Leoni is still sidelined through a long-term injury, while Joe Gomez has recently joined him in the treatment room.

Brown made it clear that Liverpool missed out on Marc Guehi back in January, and are still trying to address that area of their squad.