Bradley Barcola could make his Liverpool debut within days of arriving, after Andoni Iraola gave a strong hint the winger will be involved against Ipswich Town.
The France international completed his move from Paris Saint-Germain on Monday and has since trained twice with his new teammates.
Iraola addressed the signing at his press conference on Thursday, making no attempt to hide his satisfaction. “We are very happy with Bradley,” he said. “It was our priority, let’s say, to sign a very, very good player in that position.”
He pointed to Barcola’s attitude as much as his ability. “I think he has come also with the right mentality,” Iraola said. “I’ve liked from him that he wanted Liverpool a lot. He just wanted to come here, and I think that’s a good first sign.”
The head coach also referenced Barcola’s recent trophy haul with PSG, calling it evidence of the standards he can bring to the squad. “Being the player that he is and the things that he has won recently, I think he has come also with the willingness to help us,” he said. “I’m very happy with him. He trained well with us.”
Availability for Friday’s trip to Portman Road looked close to confirmed. “If everything goes well in today’s training also, he will definitely be available for tomorrow, yes,” Iraola said.
Whether Barcola starts is a separate question, and one Iraola took time to consider before answering. “It’s a good question, it’s a good question,” he said. “I see him in a good place. He has trained with us in three trainings. It’s true that he hasn’t had minutes in pre-season, but he has been training normal with the group. Then it’s a decision we have to make.”
He added a note of caution given Barcola’s lack of match sharpness. “I think he’s in a good place, but we also have to consider that he hasn’t had the minutes in the pre-season games,” Iraola said.
Barcola’s arrival caps a £123m deal from Paris Saint-Germain, completed on the transfer deadline day and making him one of the most expensive signings in Liverpool’s history. He last featured for France in their World Cup third-place play-off, and has not played a competitive minute since.
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