France winger Bradley Barcola endured a frustrating evening against Paraguay, drawing notable criticism from pundits for a subdued and largely ineffective performance.

The 23-year-old struggled to get into the game throughout the first half, rarely seeing the ball and failing to make a meaningful impact when he did receive it.

His below-par display eventually cost him his place, as he was substituted before the hour mark for Desire Doue, who impressed immediately after coming on.

The performance comes at a particularly significant moment for Barcola, with both Liverpool and Arsenal closely monitoring his situation heading into the summer transfer window.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has publicly linked Barcola with both clubs, noting that new contract talks with Paris Saint-Germain have been on standby for a full year.

Romano stated that Liverpool are “very keen” and Arsenal have Barcola’s name on their list as an alternative to their top target Rogers, raising serious questions about his PSG future.

PSG could reportedly allow the winger to leave, but only if a substantial proposal arrives, leaving his situation in a state of uncertainty as the World Cup continues.

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock was among the pundits to highlight Barcola’s shortcomings, offering a pointed assessment of his performance during the Paraguay clash.

As quoted by BBC Sport, Warnock said: “Barcola needs to get more involved in the game. He was quiet in the first half and really hasn’t had too much of an effect.”

The Telegraph’s Sam Dean reinforced that view with statistical context, noting just how lopsided France’s performance was across both flanks during the opening period.

Dean wrote that Barcola had been “comparatively very quiet, with only 23 touches,” while right-sided players Ousmane Dembele and Jules Kounde registered 48 and 51 touches respectively.

That imbalance painted a stark picture of how little influence Barcola had in the game, and will likely fuel debate around whether he is truly ready to lead an attack at the highest level.

Liverpool fans in particular will be watching Barcola’s World Cup campaign closely, given the club’s reported status as leading admirers of the player this summer.

PSG’s potential willingness to sell is partly understood to be connected to their position in negotiations to sign Yan Diomande, which could free up funds and space within their squad.

Barcola will need to produce far more convincing performances as the tournament progresses if he is to reassure interested clubs and retain his place in Didier Deschamps’ starting eleven.

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