145 million euros. Still no goal.
Bradley Barcola was supposed to reboot his career away from PSG. He wanted guaranteed minutes. Liverpool handed him the chance this summer, paying a nine-figure fee: 145 million euros.
Five games in, the return is thin. Two hundred and forty-eight minutes. Three starts. No goals, no assists.
His debut against Ipswich on September 4 did at least offer a bit of hope. Pace, intent, a few promising moments. The finish, though, never arrived.
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The comparison that hurts
The English press is not cutting him any slack. The BBC has pointed to decent cameos and some very good passing quality. The Liverpool Echo is far colder: five games, still no direct involvement in a goal. Reporter Salim Baungally says the transfer fee is already weighing on him, with every miscontrol and every missed chance adding to the scrutiny. Some observers are even comparing his tricky start to Florian Wirtz, another summer signing who has also looked short of rhythm at Anfield.
Alan Shearer, though, is not writing the Frenchman off. He has praised the huge talent and the appetite, even as the criticism starts to pile up.
Time is ticking, but there is still time
Five games do not make a season. Liverpool paid handsomely, and they will expect patience to come with it. Barcola now has to turn decent intentions into numbers before the pressure becomes too heavy to carry.
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