Liverpool have quietly manoeuvred themselves to the front of the queue for Bradley Barcola, and the timing is no accident.

With Mohamed Salah's era at Anfield winding down, the club appear to have identified the 23-year-old Paris Saint-Germain winger as the marquee name who could inherit that responsibility in a genuine Bradley Barcola Liverpool move.

It is the kind of signing that reshapes a front line rather than merely topping it up.

For Australian fans who follow the Premier League through the small hours, the pursuit of Barcola carries the promise of a genuine statement of intent from Arne Slot's squad.

Liverpool have not been idle this window, having already brought in Victor Munoz from Osasuna and formally completed the arrival of Jeremy Jacquet, who signed his deal back in January. Manager Andoni Iraola was reportedly at the club's AXA training centre in Kirkby this week to run the rule over his players, a sign that recruitment plans remain very much active.

What makes Barcola so appealing is what the current squad lacks.

Slot's side have leaned on Cody Gakpo out wide, but the Dutchman has looked less than comfortable in that role, and Barcola offers the pace and one-against-one threat that could restore some of the danger lost as Salah ages.

Bradley Barcola Liverpool Price Tag Set at £128m by PSG

According to French publication L'Equipe, PSG have placed a hefty £128 million valuation on Barcola, or about A$247 million.

That figure would eclipse the current British transfer record, the £125 million Liverpool paid last summer for Alexander Isak, so this would be no ordinary piece of business.

TeamTalk reports the fee equates to roughly €150 million and describes Barcola as Liverpool's priority attacking target as they search for a Salah successor.

Arsenal are understood to be Liverpool's chief rivals for the winger, which means the Reds cannot afford to dawdle if they are serious.

How Yan Diomande Move Unlocks Bradley Barcola Liverpool Exit

The mechanism that could make all this possible sits elsewhere in PSG's business. Barcola may only become available if the European champions finalise a deal for Yan Diomande, and several outlets report the RB Leipzig winger has already agreed personal terms with the Parisians, having reportedly chosen PSG over Liverpool.

A second domino may fall in Liverpool's favour too. Arsenal are said to be chasing Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, and should the Gunners commit to that pursuit, it could hand the Reds a clearer run at Barcola.

Adding to the intrigue, PSG are also reportedly targeting Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche, which would only sharpen Barcola's motivation to find regular football elsewhere.

Why Bradley Barcola Fits Liverpool's Salah Successor Role

Two former strikers see the logic behind a Bradley Barcola Liverpool switch. Former Liverpool forward Emile Heskey shared that signing Barcola would be an amazing coup because he offers the pace and directness the side has missed on the left, adding that a Diomande departure to PSG could open the door for a statement signing under Iraola.

Louis Saha, once of Everton and Manchester United was equally effusive, calling Barcola a terrific player who has already won two Champions Leagues and could reach the very top if he finds a club where he is first choice every week.

Saha noted pointedly that Liverpool need a Salah replacement and that Gakpo has looked uncomfortable out wide, positions Barcola could comfortably fill.

For now the move remains unresolved, hinging on whether PSG can complete the Diomande transfer and how Arsenal's interest in Rogers unfolds.

The coming weeks of the window look decisive, and they will tell us whether Liverpool can really land the marquee successor that a post-Salah era so plainly demands.