Bradley Barcola endured a difficult night for France in their World Cup clash with Paraguay, drawing criticism from pundits and analysts alike.
The 23-year-old Paris Saint-Germain winger struggled to make any meaningful impact throughout his time on the pitch, seeing very little of the ball.
When Barcola did receive possession, he failed to do enough with it to influence the game in France’s favour in any significant way.
He was substituted before the hour mark, with Desire Doue coming on as his replacement and immediately looking a more effective presence on the left flank.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock was among those to highlight Barcola’s shortcomings during the match, pointing to his lack of involvement.
Warnock said: “Barcola needs to get more involved in the game. He was quiet in the first half and really hasn’t had too much of an effect.”
The Telegraph’s Sam Dean also noted the imbalance within France’s performance, drawing attention to how little Barcola featured compared to his teammates on the right side.
Dean wrote: “Very lopsided performance by France. Their right-sided players have seen loads of the ball. Dembele has had 48 touches, Kounde has had 51, and the left flank has done nothing. Barcola has been comparatively very quiet, with only 23 touches.”
The underwhelming display comes at a particularly significant time, given the level of interest surrounding the winger ahead of the summer transfer window.
Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has recently linked Barcola with both Liverpool and Arsenal, with new deal talks at PSG having been on standby for a full year.
Romano stated: “Liverpool are very keen and Arsenal have his name on list as alternative to top target Rogers. PSG could let him go but only in case of big proposal.”
Liverpool are understood to have made Barcola one of their top targets this summer, with the club long-standing admirers of what the winger can offer at the highest level.
PSG’s position could be influenced by their reported interest in signing Yan Diomande, which may open the door for a departure if the right offer arrives.
Supporters of both Liverpool and Arsenal will be watching Barcola’s World Cup performances closely, and his display against Paraguay will have done little to settle any debate about his readiness for a big move.
Barcola has managed to hold onto his place in Didier Deschamps’ starting lineup despite not always being a guaranteed starter at club level for PSG throughout the season.
Based on his performance against Paraguay, there remains plenty of room for improvement if he is to convince top clubs that he is the attacking answer they are searching for.
