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Thierry Henry has told Liverpool supporters they have every reason to be excited after Bradley Barcola’s £123 million switch from Paris Saint-Germain. At the same time, the Arsenal great cautioned manager Andoni Iraola that the winger will need to be used in the right way if he is to unlock his full potential.

Reds complete blockbuster Barcola deal

Liverpool wrapped up the £123 million signing of France international winger Bradley Barcola on Monday, underlining their ambition in a major way. The former Paris Saint-Germain attacker has been handed the No. 29 shirt and is expected to go straight into the team as the first-choice option on the left wing.

Barcola could make his Premier League debut in Friday’s away game against newly promoted Ipswich. The match is set to give fans their first look at how the wide forward fits into Andoni Iraola’s tactical system.

Speaking on Sky Sports while assessing the transfer, Thierry Henry said Liverpool fans should be hugely excited by Barcola’s arrival, as long as the side is set up to suit his strengths.

Henry highlights tactical demands

Henry stressed that Barcola is at his best when he is given direct one-on-one situations out wide. He noted that the Frenchman worked tirelessly in a high-pressing Paris Saint-Germain side that regularly won the ball high up the pitch in order to leave opposition full-backs isolated.

The former France Under-21 coach also warned against asking the winger to spend too much time defending far away from the opposition penalty area.

“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. “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.”

Finishing work and squad balance

Although Henry praised Barcola’s speed and pressing ability, he also said the winger still has room to improve in front of goal. He explained that if Barcola sharpens his composure inside the box, he can become a truly dominant attacker.

“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.”

Fellow pundit and former Liverpool vice-captain Jamie Carragher said Barcola adds much-needed star quality to the Premier League, while also raising concerns over Liverpool’s overall squad balance. Carragher pointed out that Iraola does not have natural options on the right wing, which means the coaching staff will have to keep finding adjustments on that side of the attack.

Ipswich debut on horizon

With the transfer window closing without any further wide additions, Iraola now has to get the most out of the attacking players already at his disposal. Barcola is set to line up alongside big-name team-mates such as Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak as Liverpool aim to put together a side capable of challenging for the title.

The coaching staff will now concentrate on bringing the £123 million signing fully into team training before Friday’s game against Ipswich.

Attention now shifts to Portman Road, where Barcola could be given the chance to make an instant impression and show off his explosive pace on his Premier League debut.