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Bradley Barcola has completed his transfer to Liverpool, reuniting with Hugo Ekitike after receiving regular messages from his France team-mate. However, the pair will have to wait before they can play together, with Ekitike still undergoing a long recovery from an Achilles injury.

Barcola seals Anfield move

Bradley Barcola has now officially joined Liverpool from Paris Saint-Germain and will wear the No.29 shirt at Anfield. The France international arrives on Merseyside to strengthen the Reds’ attacking options and reconnect with familiar figures from both club and international football.

The transfer means Barcola is once again alongside fellow French forward Hugo Ekitike, a player he knows from the national team setup as well as from their time together in Paris.

By joining Ekitike at Liverpool, Barcola becomes the latest name in a notable line of French attackers, following the path previously taken by Nicolas Anelka and Djibril Cisse at the club.

Ekitike kept in touch

“He was waiting for me” – In his first official interview as a Liverpool player, Barcola explained that Ekitike had played an active role in keeping the possible move in his thoughts throughout the summer transfer window. The two attackers stayed in regular contact while talks continued between the clubs.

Barcola said Ekitike kept asking about the progress of the deal, keen for the two of them to reunite on the pitch at Anfield.

“I was able to talk to Hugo, who I met in the French team and in my old club,” Barcola told Liverpoolfc.com. “He was waiting for me to sign the contract, sending me messages often asking me if I was coming or not. I can’t wait to get back together and be able to play with him. I already told him that it is done.”

Adding to the Les Bleus connection

Barcola and Ekitike are now writing a new chapter in Liverpool’s long-standing history of French goalscorers in the famous red shirt. That story began in January 2002, when Nicolas Anelka arrived on loan in Gerard Houllier’s side and scored important goals against Everton, Fulham and Ipswich Town as Liverpool finished second in the Premier League.

Djibril Cisse later secured his own place in the club’s history after joining from Auxerre in 2004. Cisse scored 24 goals in 79 appearances and played an important part in Liverpool winning the 2005 UEFA Champions League and the 2006 FA Cup.

Partnership on the pitch delayed

Although the transfer has been completed and Barcola has already joined full first-team training, Liverpool’s new attacking combination will not be seen immediately on the pitch. Ekitike is currently out after suffering a torn Achilles tendon against Paris Saint-Germain in April 2026.

After surgery, Ekitike is facing a rehabilitation period estimated at between eight and 10 months. The striker is expected to return to competitive action only in late December 2026 or early 2027, in time for the second half of the 2026-27 season.

Liverpool supporters will therefore need to be patient before they can watch Barcola and Ekitike combine on the pitch and try to recreate the memorable moments produced by Anelka and Cisse during their time on Merseyside.