After Michael Olise’s decision to sign a new contract at Crystal Palace rather than move to Stamford Bridge, Chelsea are now targeting a move for Lyon winger Bradley Barcola.
The 20-year-old is similar to Olise and shone in Ligue 1 last season. Here’s what we know so far about the potential Bradley Barcola Chelsea transfer.
Chelsea’s interest in the player stems from his performances in 2023 with Barcola exploding onto the scene at Lyon since the turn of the year. The young winger, who had only made a couple of Ligue 1 starts this time last year, has scored 7 times and provided 9 assists this calendar year.
He has emerged as one of the brightest young French talents at a club that does have an impressive track record when it comes to developing young players. His ability to make decisive contributions in the final third was further highlighted at this summer’s Euro U21 Championship where Barcola chipped in with 2 goals and 2 assists in France’s 4 matches at the tournament.
Bradley Barcola Chelsea transfer – Potential terms
According to our information, Chelsea are very interested in signing Barcola and are willing to pay €50m to secure his services. The Blues hope that would see off competition from PSG who are also believed to be interested in the player.
Any deal would also involve a hefty paycheck for Barcola who has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past twelve months. In keeping with their strategy since Todd Boehly’s takeover of the club, it’d be a long-term deal that would tie the 20-year-old down to a six year deal, running until the summer of 2029.
Barcola could earn £200,000 per week should he decide to move to London, an enormous pay rise on his current deal at Lyon which runs until June 2026. That would equate to a sum of around €72m over the course of the contract. That’s a deal that Barcola, who is represented by agent Jorge Mendes, may find very hard to turn down.
What would Barcola bring to Chelsea?
Should they manage to get the deal over the line, Bradley Barcola would be another talented young player to add to Mauricio Pochettino’s attacking options which have been bolstered by the additions of the likes of Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku this summer.
While still raw and relatively limited on top-level experience, Barcola’s ability is clear and he has received plaudits for his ability to keep his cool in the opposition danger area with impressive numbers for key passes and a strong ability to finish chances.
While Barcola may not immediately become a guaranteed pick should he move to London, his ability to play as a central striker as well as a right-sided forward or winger should ensure he gets opportunities, particularly with Nkunku currently injured.
It’s on the right side that he has really stood out though and that appears to be his most natural position. He is a natural dribbler of the ball, but is also known for his work rate and that’s important given Pochettino’s tendency to press from the front.
