Bradley Barcola told to sign for Premier League club where he would score at least 20 goals

Bradley Barcola could be on his way out of Paris Saint-Germain this summer and would be the perfect fit for Arsenal.

That’s the view of European football expert Andy Brassell, who has backed the France star to hit new heights with the Premier League champions.

Barcola celebrates after scoring for France against Senegal at the World CupGetty

The 23-year-old has been linked with a move to Mikel Arteta’s Gunners as he targets more regular football – having seen his minutes at PSG limited by the displays of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

talkSPORT reported last week that Barcola had asked to leave the club.

Barcola, who came off the bench to score in France’s opening World Cup win against Senegal, joined PSG from Lyon three years ago and has helped the Parisian giants to successive Champions League triumphs – the latest against Arsenal last month – as well as three straight Ligue 1 titles.

But he averaged just over an hour per game in 2025/26, Kvaratskhelia’s red-hot form seeing him making him the preferred option on the left of Luis Enrique’s front three.

And Brassell believes Barcola would find himself right at home in north London.

He told talkSPORT: “Bradley Barcola emerging as a target for Arsenal shouldn’t be a huge surprise for us. Of course, if we go back to the start of the Premier League era, or more accurately, the arrival of Arsene Wenger a couple of years after the Premier League started, Arsenal have this huge history with French players. They have shaped modern Arsenal.

“But if we’re looking at Arsenal in the here and now, what is clear is that this summer, having come off such a brilliant season under Mikel Arteta, they’re in a difficult position in that they have a few obvious areas to improve and keep them going upwards.”

Arsenal clinched their first Premier League title since 2004, ending the 2025/26 campaign seven points ahead of runners-up Manchester City after three consecutive second-placed finishes.

The challenge now is to retain their crown, and that will doubtless require some big business this summer.

Barcola came on as a substitute in PSG’s Champions League final victory over ArsenalGetty

And young players like Barcola who have yet to reach their prime could pay dividends for the Gunners. Brassell continued:

“And Arsenal, I think, are still in the best place when they get players and they improve them. They take players who are already As or A-minuses and transform them into elite superstars. And I feel that’s what they can probably do with Bradley Barcola.

“Still only 23, [he’s] been at the top level for a very long time, of course. And it’s been difficult for him over the last year-and-a-half at PSG.

“Now, Barcola started well at PSG, but what’s been difficult for him in the last little while, of course, is the arrival of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.”

A winger by trade, PSG “believe really strongly” that Barcola could be converted into a prolific striker – but might that be with Arsenal?

Brassell explained: “With Barcola, it’s not just about recruiting him and hoping he scores 15, 20, 25 [goals] in a season, although I do think he could get to that point for Arsenal.

“It’s that he’s someone who knows when to release the ball at the right time. So, he’s got the pace, but he’s also got the intelligence to make the most of the advantage that that pace gives him.

Martinelli hasn’t been able to consistently find form at the top levelGetty

Now, we’ve seen him as a pinch-hitter off the bench for France, scoring that goal in the [World Cup] opener against Senegal. He would be a huge upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli as far as I’m concerned.

“As far as the signings that Arsenal should be making this summer, he’s definitely, definitely a step in the right direction, especially with his contract talks still up in the air.”

Barcola has two years left on his current PSG deal having signed for a reported €45m.