According to RMC, Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique still holds Barcola in high regard following his €125 million transfer to Liverpool. He did not attempt to force the forward to stay after explaining that he could not meet one of the player's key demands.

Two days after the transfer window closed, Enrique appeared relaxed and satisfied. Paris Saint-Germain sold several players who were mostly used in rotation for €330 million and invested €150 million in reinforcements, ultimately achieving a €180 million surplus. Barcola, 24, who had rotated with Doué for the starting position, has now joined Liverpool for €125 million, becoming the record holder for the highest transfer fee paid for a Ligue 1 player sold abroad. On Friday at 3:05 AM CEST, Paris will host Monaco. At his pre-match press conference, Enrique specifically addressed the winger's departure and explained his reasons.

"He wanted a more important role in the team."

"The transfer window is finally over," said the Spanish coach. "The assessment I can give is that we have completed a very successful transfer operation, without doubt. The president and the sports department, particularly Luis Campos, have done an excellent job. I am very satisfied. I want to pay tribute to the players who left: Ramos, Lee, 'Ibé' (M'Baye), and Barcola. They were all very important in helping the team win trophies over the past two years. I wish them all the best. This was necessary because we needed to inject new vitality into the team in terms of mentality and ambition."

He then addressed the French winger's situation directly. Barcola currently has 28 national team appearances and 6 goals. "Barcola's situation is somewhat different for me because he developed considerably at Paris after arriving from Lyon," Enrique said. "His performances also helped the team improve significantly. He wanted to have a greater role in the team, but I couldn't guarantee him that. In the end, I think this situation is good for everyone. I respect this decision and wish him all the best. We are happy to begin the new season with this squad."

Enrique was reluctant to dwell on the departure of a player capable of getting in behind defenses and making a significant impact. He preferred to emphasize that all parties benefited from the deal while also praising the former Lyon player's character.

"Ultimately, I think everyone is a winner," he stressed. "He wanted to leave because he desired more playing time and a more prominent role. But I cannot guarantee any player that, because it must be earned through training and matches. He has always been important and a player very well-liked by his teammates. For everyone, this was not easy because Barcola is a great person. I only discussed positive things with him. Since he had two years remaining on his contract, he ultimately decided to leave. We accept that and wish him all the best. This is football, and it must be accepted. It is normal that some players who were very important to the team will leave in the future, but that's life, that's reality, and it must be accepted."

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