Max Eberl has publicly confirmed that Bayern Munich explored signing Bradley Barcola before the French winger completed his move to Liverpool FC. The Bavarian club's sporting director revealed the financial demands proved prohibitive for a deal that ultimately did not materialise.
"When you hear figures like that, it was simply too much for us," Eberl told Sport Bild, referring to Barcola's €125 million transfer package. The 24-year-old Frenchman joined Liverpool in the summer transfer window to potentially succeed Mohamed Salah, who departed Anfield after nine seasons at the club. Bayern's interest in the attacking prospect spanned multiple transfer windows, with Eberl personally familiar with Barcola's profile dating back to their time together at RB Leipzig.
A Long-Standing Relationship
Eberl's connection to Barcola extended beyond casual scouting. "To be honest, I have known Bradley since my time in Leipzig. I wanted to bring him to RB. We sat down together back then and discussed it," revealed the Bayern director. This prior relationship maintained Bayern's interest across consecutive summer windows, with the winger consistently appearing on the club's shortlist as they sought attacking reinforcements.
Bayern previously considered Barcola as a potential replacement for departing wingers Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman ahead of the 2024–25 season. However, the club opted for Luis Diaz, who arrived from Liverpool for €70 million—a significantly lower fee than Barcola's valuation. That decision proved astute; Diaz registered 27 goals and 23 assists across 55 appearances in all competitions during his debut campaign under coach Vincent Kompany.
Strategic Spending Over Prestige
"With Luis Diaz, we made a decision that was also expensive, but on a different scale to Bradley. In addition, Diaz is a player people come to the stadium for. We are extremely happy with him," Eberl explained. Bayern's pragmatic approach to recruitment prioritised both financial sustainability and immediate on-pitch impact, positioning the club well for continued Bundesliga dominance and European competition ambitions as the 2025–26 season approaches.
