At first glance, Barcola appears the obvious heir to Luis Diaz.
Liverpool opted against signing a like-for-like successor after the Colombian left last summer, yet underlying metrics indicate the PSG attacker could fill that gap.
Opta’s player similarity model rates the Frenchman as the winger most closely mirroring Diaz’s output across Europe’s top five leagues in 2025-26 (78%), ahead of Mohamed Salah (65%), Lamine Yamal (61%) and Vinicius Junior (61%).
Look closer, though, and it’s clear Liverpool wouldn’t just be swapping one winger for another.
Barcola is naturally a left-sided wide player—most of his Champions League minutes for PSG came there—but his game is defined by centre-forward instincts. He played up front until 17, which shows in his movement and shot selection.
In Ligue 1 last season, he averaged 3.5 shots per 90, ranking among the league’s most frequent shooters despite operating from the flank.
His 9.83 expected goals placed him in the 95th percentile for wingers in the top five leagues, meaning only about 5% of wide players regularly found better shooting positions.
He turned those chances into 11 league goals, outperforming his xG, and no PSG player or Ligue 1 winger posted a higher xG total in 2025-26.
Those striker’s habits show up in his duels with defenders. Barcola was the only player in Europe’s top five leagues to average over two shot-ending carries per 90 (2.06), highlighting his knack for driving at opponents to carve out his own shots.
He also logged 8.69 touches in the opposition box per 90—seventh-highest among 1,500+ players—reinforcing the profile of a winger who constantly occupies goal-dangerous zones.
His shot map shows a player who attacks central danger areas rather than settling for hopeful efforts from range. In Ligue 1, only Ousmane Dembele combined shot volume and chance creation more effectively, underlining Barcola’s rare blend of finishing and playmaking.
The Salah comparison is telling too. Both are major goal threats, but Barcola is the more direct ball carrier.
He attempted more take-ons per 90 than the Egyptian last season (4.26 vs 3.38), but created slightly fewer chances (2.16 vs 2.33) and attempted far fewer crosses (1.15 vs 4.89) and through balls (0.25 vs 0.59).
The data points to a player who prefers to beat his man himself rather than orchestrate from wide areas.
There are also signs his game is evolving under Luis Enrique.
Across his three Champions League seasons at PSG, his passing has become more focused on advancing play in the final third, reflecting growing tactical maturity.
Rather than dribbling at every chance, he now better judges when to accelerate attacks and when to recycle the ball.
His off-ball work is another trait admired by Liverpool’s recruitment team. He ranked ninth in Europe’s top five leagues for possessions won in the final third last season, a marker of the aggressive pressing and intensity likely to be required under Andoni Iraola.
That profile may suit Liverpool’s evolving attack. With Wirtz adept at releasing runners between the lines and Ekitike and Isak expected to pin centre-backs, Liverpool arguably need another player who attacks space rather than constantly coming short.
Barcola’s willingness to make penetrative runs and arrive in scoring positions could deliver exactly that.
Perhaps most encouragingly for any buyer, there’s plenty of evidence he hasn’t hit his ceiling yet.
A late physical bloomer, he has already progressed from a promising Lyon academy product to a two-time Champions League winner with PSG.
At 23, his mix of pace, savvy movement, elite shot volume, relentless pressing and growing creativity suggests one of Europe’s most complete young wide forwards is still on an upward curve.