Arsenal’s summer chase for a new winger has taken a dramatic twist. After losing the race for Morgan Rogers, the Gunners have shifted their focus firmly onto Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola, and there is genuine belief at the Emirates that the Frenchman could be available if the right offer lands on PSG’s desk. For a club that has spent all summer lining up targets, this is the kind of plan B that suddenly looks like a plan A.
Why Arsenal Missed Out on Morgan Rogers
The Rogers saga was always going to be one of the defining subplots of Arsenal’s summer business. The Aston Villa forward had been Mikel Arteta’s top winger target for months, and Arsenal reportedly held advanced talks with his camp. In the end, though, Chelsea swooped in and won the race, agreeing a British transfer record fee north of £117 million to take Rogers to Stamford Bridge. It is a bitter pill for Arsenal fans to swallow, especially since reports suggest the club was never willing to go beyond roughly £100 million for the England international. Sporting director Andrea Berta’s approach has always been to line up three or four alternatives for every position, and that philosophy is now being put to the test.
Enter Bradley Barcola
With Rogers gone and a move for Red Bull Leipzig winger Yan Diomande looking unlikely given his advanced talks with PSG, Arsenal’s attention has swung back toward Barcola. Sky Sports News reported that Arsenal retain a genuine interest in the 23-year-old following the collapse of the Rogers pursuit, and PSG have previously signaled they could let him leave this summer if a substantial bid arrives. That matters because Barcola is not short on quality. He was a key contributor during PSG’s Champions League-winning campaign and has continued to impress on the biggest stages since arriving from Lyon.
A Complicated Race
It would be misleading to call this a done deal. Barcola has been strongly linked with Liverpool for weeks, and multiple reports out of France indicate the Reds may hold an edge in the race, with insiders suggesting Barcola sits behind Rogers on Arsenal’s list of priorities. There are also reports that, as recently as a few days ago, Arsenal had made no concrete approach for the winger and that talks were effectively cold. PSG, for their part, would want a significant fee, with some reports floating figures well north of one hundred million euros, even as Barcola’s contract situation and stalled extension talks leave the door open for a departure.
What This Means for Arsenal’s Summer
Whatever happens next, the message from Arsenal’s camp is clear: they are not putting all their eggs in one basket. Missing out on Rogers stings, but the club has already moved quickly elsewhere, agreeing deals for wingers like Christos Tzolis as insurance. Barcola represents the more glamorous route, pace, directness, and Champions League pedigree, all wrapped into one deal that could still happen if PSG’s valuation softens. Arsenal fans have learned this summer that nothing is guaranteed until the ink is dry, but the Barcola chase is very much alive, and it is one worth watching closely as the transfer window enters its final stretch.
