Bradley Barcola is leaving PSG for England after Liverpool agreed to pay €145m for the forward, prompting an emotional farewell from team-mate Ousmane Dembele.
Dembele described Barcola as “my brother” in a brief social media message, accompanying the two-word tribute with a photograph of the pair.
The message marked Dembele’s goodbye to Barcola as the 23-year-old prepares to continue his career in the Premier League. Liverpool’s reported €145m payment makes the move a major deal, with Barcola now set to play in England after departing PSG.
Although Dembele has been a team-mate of Barcola at PSG, the France international has never played in England during his own career. There is also no indication that he intends to move to the country, meaning the pair will be separated professionally by Barcola’s transfer to Liverpool.
Dembele’s choice of words suggested the close relationship the two players had developed. Rather than issuing a lengthy statement, he used the simple phrase “my brother” alongside the photograph, giving the farewell a personal tone.
Barcola’s departure brings an end to his time at PSG and begins a new chapter in English football. The transfer will take him from the French club to Liverpool, while Dembele remains at PSG, where he has played since 2023.
Before joining PSG, Dembele spent several years with Barcelona. His career has therefore included football in France and Spain, but not England. Barcola’s move means the two players will now follow different paths, despite Dembele’s public expression of their bond.
The farewell also underlined the significance of Barcola’s exit within the PSG squad. Having shared the club’s colours with Dembele since the latter joined in 2023, Barcola leaves with a personal message from a player who considers him family.
Liverpool’s €145m investment places considerable focus on Barcola as he moves to the English game. The transfer will see him represent the club in a new country, while his former PSG colleague watches from France.
For Dembele, the departure is not a move of his own but a goodbye to a close team-mate. For Barcola, it is the start of an English career after his time at PSG. Their final exchange was summed up by Dembele’s short message: “my brother”.