Barcola could be the most expensive signing this summer, but why is he so coveted? Sky Sports has published an article featuring more insights into Barcola.

For such a highly valued player, Barcola's rise came with a touch of serendipity. At Lyon, under French legend Laurent Blanc, he was briefly sidelined from the first team until a teammate's departure changed everything. Former youth academy coach Jean-François Vulliez identified this as a turning point.

"At that time, a Swiss club was interested in him because he wasn't getting much playing time in the first team. Blanc was the manager then, and we also had Toko Ekambi. But Toko Ekambi decided to leave, and the manager decided to cancel the loan because we might need Barcola."

Vulliez explained: "That was a crucial moment because he realized that if Toko Ekambi left, Barcola could be the solution, and the team would have the chance to use him. Toko Ekambi eventually departed. Barcola stayed. In the next match, someone got injured, and Laurent needed him."

Vulliez worked with Barcola in Lyon's academy and knows him well. In fact, he later followed Barcola to PSG, where he now serves as development coach for the French and European champions. In this role, he has seen many excellent young players.

But Barcola wasn't necessarily the most brilliant prospect. He certainly had talent, but whether he would reach his current heights? It wasn't obvious at the time. "He was just a normal kid, never skipped age groups, and never played above his age level. His development was a natural process," he said.

"His development trajectory is interesting because every player is different. Some players, like Mbappé, mature very early. Others need time. Barcola was never selected for any French youth national team. He played well, but his body wasn't ready yet."

"We were always patient with him at Lyon because we knew he had the technical ability, and we just needed to wait for his mental and physical maturity. Once that transition happens, they improve very rapidly."

After Toko Ekambi's departure, Barcola scored 5 goals in 9 matches in early 2023. That summer, he impressed with France at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, followed by a protracted transfer saga to PSG. "His body was still at Lyon, but his mind was already in Paris."

Over the next three seasons, he won 13 trophies and scored 39 goals in over 150 appearances. Under Luis Enrique, he refined his playing style, becoming much more confident in ball retention than before. Barcola knows when to attack the defense and when to keep things simple.

Today's Barcola is the product of that subtle foundation built in the youth academy. As a player whose physical development came later, he couldn't overpower opponents physically as a teenager, so he had to find other ways. "He developed his mind," Vulliez noted.

"He can read the field, gather the right information, and then use space. He had that very early, along with pace. After that, his muscles developed and he became stronger. It's a combination of tactical awareness, technical skill, and physicality."

At PSG, Barcola is used primarily as a left winger, but his instincts lean more toward a striker than a winger. He played as a center-forward at Lyon until age 17 before shifting positions. Operating from the left, he can cut inside and shoot across goal with his preferred foot.

This instinct is hard to teach later, and elite clubs particularly value wingers with this quality, because "looking good" isn't enough; players also need to produce numbers. Barcola is well-balanced in this regard, capable of both scoring goals and creating chances for teammates.

This graphic shows his impressive shot volume at PSG, ranking among the top 10 in per-90 statistics in Ligue 1 last season. Playing on the wing hasn't limited him. "His interior runs are very intelligent." The timing of these runs is a key characteristic.

"Because he played as a center-forward, he knows when to make runs into the box and when to make forward movements. With Barcola in the team, you have to use him in positions where he can receive the ball in the half-space or make runs from deep, because that's his strength."

Like Vinícius Júnior and other elite left wingers, Barcola operates mainly from the left, but stylistically, he would also fit well under Andoni Iraola, as he prefers running to the ball rather than waiting for it to come to his feet. This is exactly what Liverpool lacked last season. Without the off-the-ball runs of Luis Díaz, Diogo Jota, and Darwin Núñez, Liverpool under Arne Slot seemed like a completely different team. Florian Wirtz is exceptional at finding running players, and Barcola would thrive on those passes.

"We never worried about him in the academy because he's intelligent and listens to coaches, so when you're the manager, it's easier to work with because he can adapt to any tactic you want. He understands because he's intelligent."

"I don't think you can completely transform a player after age 17, because if he doesn't have good football intelligence by then, he won't develop it later. That's why cultivating this awareness early is so important. Barcola has it. You can adjust his position later."

As he continues to grow, more will be demanded of him. His finishing can sometimes be inconsistent, and Luis Enrique has been pushing him to be more clinical. But there's still plenty of time. Vulliez says: "Many very good players only improve their finishing as they mature."

"Like all young players, sometimes they need a push, but he has the right mentality, which makes things easier. Perhaps left winger is the better position for him now, but I'm excited to see how he develops next because I believe he has absolutely the potential to become a number 9."

This versatility makes him very attractive. Barcola has also played on the right wing, and if the manager needs it, he has the pace to get to the byline. He was one of the 10 fastest players in the Champions League last season. He can play one-twos and make forward runs.

He's stronger now than when he arrived in Paris, and stronger than the young prospect in Lyon's academy. Vulliez admits: "Nobody could have imagined it would turn out this way." Now, when clubs discuss Barcola, they ask how much stronger he can still become.

Traducido por IA.

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