Thierry Henry believes Liverpool must create one-on-one opportunities for new signing Bradley Barcola and avoid asking the France forward to spend too much time defending if they are to get the best from him.
Liverpool completed the signing of Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain this summer in a deal worth up to $123m, making him the club’s second-biggest signing behind Alexander Isak.
The 24-year-old has agreed a five-year contract at Anfield and is expected to play an important role for manager Andoni Iraola as he attempts to restore an attacking identity to Liverpool.
Barcola could make his debut against Ipswich Town on Friday night. Before that fixture, former France forward Henry outlined the conditions he believes would allow the winger to have the greatest impact.
“A big thing about Barcola is it depends how you're going to play. Are you going to be able to put him in one-vs-one situations?” Henry asked.
Barcola is known for his acceleration and ability to carry the ball at speed, and Henry feels those qualities could be particularly valuable if Liverpool adopt a counter-attacking approach.
“What you have also is, if you want to play on the counter, he's fast as hell. But are you going to make him defend way more than he's going to attack? That may not be something he's very suitable for.
“The last thing I would say is he needs to finish a tiny bit better,” Henry added. “If he does that, a lot of teams will be in trouble with him.”
Barcola arrives at Liverpool after winning Ligue 1 three times and the Champions League twice. He scored 11 league goals in 29 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain last season, while his 2024-25 campaign produced 14 goals and 10 assists.
His arrival is part of a wider recruitment drive at Anfield. Victor Munoz and Ronald Araujo have also joined Liverpool, while Jeremy Jacquet arrived after being signed in January.
Barcola’s first appearance could come only days after completing his move, with Ipswich Town providing the opposition on Friday. The match will offer an early indication of how Iraola intends to use the forward and whether he is prepared to hand him an immediate introduction.
Henry’s assessment places particular emphasis on Liverpool giving Barcola freedom in advanced areas rather than expecting him to perform a defensive role for long periods. The former France captain also identified improved finishing as the main part of the winger’s game that still needs refining.
If Barcola can combine his pace and one-on-one ability with greater efficiency in front of goal, Henry believes opposition defences could face a difficult season against Liverpool’s new attacking option.