Manchester City set to battle PSG to sign Riyad Mahrez replacement – Reports

Manchester City are reportedly set to face competition from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for Lyon star Bradley Barcola, who has been identified as a potential replacement for Riyad Mahrez.

The Cityzens accepted a £30 million bid from Al Ahli for Mahrez's signature earlier this week. They received an offer of a guaranteed £26 million plus an additional £4 million for the ex-Leicester City man's services.

Now, according to 90min, Manchester City are considering a move for Barcola as a potential long-term replacement for the Al Ahli-bound ace. They have been keeping an eye on the five-cap France U21 international since the start of the second half of the 2022-23 season.

Barcola, whose current contract is set to expire on June 2026, could prove to be a decent replacment for Mahrez should he join City in the future. The French-Togolese is coming off a strong season at Lyon, registering seven goals and 10 assists in just 1788 minutes of action.

However, replacing Mahrez in a treble-winning side would not prove to be such an easy task for a 20-year-old attacker. During his five-year stint at the Etihad, the ex-Le Havre star netted 78 goals and provided 59 assists in 236 appearances across competitions for City.

Manchester City are likely to have competitors in their pursuit of Barcola. PSG and RB Leipzig have also made enquiries about the Frenchman's availability ahead of the upcoming campaign.

PSG, who are said to be monitoring Bernardo Silva's situation at City, are pushing hard to finalise a deal for Barcola soon. They have allegedly already sat down with the player's representative Jorge Mendes.

Manchester City are also keeping tabs on Lyon star Rayan Cherkin and Celta Vigo ace Gabri Veiga, as per the aforementioned report.

Manchester City and PSG target says he is keen to stay at his current club this summer

Manchester City and PSG target Bradley Barcola has recently suggested that he is keen to remain at Lyon next season. He said (h/t 90 min):

"I need a season to confirm my progress. You mustn't forget that I've only had six months. I feel good at OL. I hope I'll continue to receive the coach's confidence. I don't know how the transfer window will go, but I don't see why I would leave. I need to have a good full season, where I'm a starter from the off."

Barcola, a right-footed pacy dribbler adept at operation on either flank, could opt to reject both Manchester City and PSG this summer. He is yet to play a full season as a crucial starter at Lyon and would want to get regular minutes under his belt in the near future.

Overall, the Frenchman has scored seven goals and contributed 12 assists in 44 matches across all competitions for Lyon so far. He is currently averaging a return of a goal involvement every 109 minutes.