The Daily Mail: Liverpool were close to signing Barkola last year but abandoned the deal because they didn't want to hinder Ngumoha's development.

According to the Daily Mail, Iraola stated that he hopes his winger will become a game-changer and a superstar, capable of "deciding the game." As Paris Saint-Germain's top scorer in Ligue 1 last season and a two-time European champion, Barcora clearly fits this bill.

For Iraola, Barkola is a game-changer; Iraola has been patiently waiting for a dazzling new winger to succeed Salah. For Liverpool, he is also a key figure in this transfer window.

Before this, athletic director Will Hughes looked like a student sitting in a math exam, completely stumped by the problem at hand. He had originally had several months to prepare and plan, but he kept putting it off until the last minute, and time was slipping away.

Even non-experts can see Liverpool's transfer priorities this summer. They offered around £86 million for RB Leipzig's Jan Diomande, but the player ultimately transferred to Real Madrid for £120 million. Subsequently, they made offers of £50 million and £60 million for Brighton's Jankuba Mint, and also contacted Crystal Palace's Sarr.

Now, Will Hughes has finally signed his target, making this transfer window, which might have been a complete failure, much clearer. If they sign another striker besides Barkola, the window will be considered a success. And if they bring in a defensive midfielder? That would be a remarkable achievement for this director, who has at least drawn considerable dissatisfaction from fans.

Optimists will insist that the Barcora deal never truly went off track. Transfer officials from both Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool privately admit that they initially expected the deal to go through, as evidenced by the French club's signings of three strikers: Ferran Torres, Mika Holz, and Akliusz. Paris Saint-Germain's high asking price, initially reaching £145 million, dragged the deal into a stalemate. Liverpool couldn't afford that amount, and the deal eventually settled on a fixed £100 million plus £20 million in add-ons.

No official signing has been made yet, but all parties are very confident, and Barcola himself has expressed his desire to join Liverpool. Earlier in the transfer window, Arsenal were also interested in him, but Barcola has always wanted to move to Merseyside.

Since Salah announced his departure in March, Liverpool have been desperately in need of a new winger, but the reality is that they never truly filled the void left by Luis Diaz last season. Both Salah and Gakpo have seen a decline in form, while new signing, £125 million striker Isak, missed most of the season due to injury.

In fact, Barkola was a very strong option around this time last year. For a few days, Liverpool's management seriously considered signing him, at a time when his transfer fee was only £70 million. Ultimately, they didn't want to hinder the development of young Rio Ngumoha.

The 17-year-old played as a right winger in the first game of the season, and there is still a possibility that Barkola and Ngumoha could be positioned on either side of Isak, or that he could be paired with Ekittiq, who is also a number 9, once he returns from his long-term injury.

However, it must be pointed out that Liverpool's current wingers all prefer to play on the left wing. Iraola hopes to change this, making them all capable of playing on both flanks, and Barkola, the high-priced signing, will not be an exception despite his great reputation.

Based on limited match data this season and his few substitute appearances last season, the right flank is not Ngumoha's strongest position, but he is only 17 years old and has plenty of time to develop. New signing Javi Muñoz, who joined from Osasuna for £34.5 million, performed admirably as a substitute last week, winning a late penalty at Tyneside to help Iraola's team secure a point. He is now vying for a start on Saturday.

Iraola said on Thursday: "For a club like ours, we need wingers who can decide the game, players who can change the game in one-on-one situations and attack space."

“They also have to meet our requirements for their defense, such as pressing and sometimes tracking back to the opposing full-backs. If they can also put up some stats, that would be even better. It’s not easy to find someone who meets all the requirements, but that’s exactly what we’re trying to achieve.”

Liverpool hope that 23-year-old Barkola can finally become the "perfect" striker that Iraola craves. He was directly involved in 20 goals last season and 42 the season before. He earned the nickname "The Grasshopper" as a child thanks to his speed and flashy technique.

So why does he want to leave Paris Saint-Germain? Like other players in Ramiro Henrique's star-studded team, Barcora gets playing time in the league, but in truly crucial matches, the manager trusts Kvalatschlia and Desiree Dué more on the wings. Barcora has come off the bench in the last two Champions League finals, but he believes he has the ability to be a key player.

Liverpool's primary objective this summer was to sign Jan Diomande. They contacted the player's agents earlier this year and appeared to be in the lead in the race ahead of the World Cup. Previous reports suggested the player preferred Paris Saint-Germain, but PSG has yet to make an offer.

Liverpool have turned their attention to Barcola while still hoping to sign another striker. It will be interesting to see if Liverpool will attempt to sign both Jan Diomande and Barcola simultaneously if the Ivorian winger doesn't move to Real Madrid. They also considered another Paris Saint-Germain star, Ibrahim Mbaye, hoping to fill that additional striker role, but ultimately deemed the price too high.

Subsequently, Jankuba Mint came into focus. Brighton hoped to receive a substantial transfer fee for the Gambian international, which could be difficult for Liverpool to afford. However, Mint's team might pressure Brighton's management to lower their asking price. Armin Sarr was also a candidate discussed. Earlier, Liverpool had also been interested in Lille's Matias Fernandes Pardo, who was also a target for Newcastle.

Barcoa rose to fame at Lyon, coming through a renowned youth academy and developing alongside Manchester City star Rajan Scherki. Barcoa has six siblings; his older brother, Malcom, is a goalkeeper who also played for Lyon. His mother also played football in her youth.

During the World Cup, French captain Kylian Mbappé said, "It was only a matter of time before he reached the highest level, but he did it in his first season after joining Paris. He's really establishing himself. Bradley doesn't talk much, but he's a very good person."

Mbappe recognized Barcola's potential earlier than most, even just a few years ago when almost no one anticipated his rapid rise. At that time, he hadn't been able to consistently impress at Lyon, and manager Laurent Blanc almost sent him to St. Gallen in the Swiss league.

Later, due to a personnel crisis within the team, Barcola entered the starting lineup. After barely playing in the first half of the season, he was included in the squad for most matches starting in January, ultimately scoring 7 goals and providing 8 assists. Blanc said at the time, "He never doubted himself. Although he's not a traditional center forward, he can score goals. He can easily get past opponents with his excellent technique and speed."

That summer, Paris Saint-Germain signed him for £40 million, and now they are about to reap a substantial profit from the deal. Barcora has been training regularly at the start of the season but has not been included in the matchday squad.

If Liverpool can sign another striker after Barcora's arrival, the existing players will be affected, especially Gakopo. He has been linked with Tottenham for the past few weeks and recently with Manchester City. Iraola also benched young player Lewis Koumas on the sidelines during his trip to Newcastle, ahead of players like Harvey Elliott. The former star is in an awkward position in the final days of the transfer window, as the Italian club is interested but has not yet made a formal offer.

This means sporting director Will Hughes will be very busy in the coming days. He is widely expected to leave the club in the coming months. Now, the biggest task on his to-do list is complete, turning Liverpool's summer transfer dealings from the brink of failure into a more acceptable window. But if Will Hughes wants to leave with a smile, he still has several other issues to resolve.

Next, the pressure will fall on Barkola. In the past year, he became the fourth striker, after Isak, Wirtz, and Ekittik, to have a transfer fee of £75 million or more. All of these players have been plagued by injuries, especially those valued at over £100 million, whose performances have failed to meet expectations.

Balcora must be the one to reverse this trend.