Barcola left Paris Saint-Germain for Liverpool shortly before the summer window closed, in a deal reported at £106 million plus a further £17 million in add-ons, having scored 39 goals and provided 37 assists in 152 competitive appearances for the reigning Champions League holders since his move from Lyon in 2023.
Liverpool were not the only club interested in the France international this season, with Bayern confirming they too had tracked him closely before deciding the price was beyond what they were willing to pay.
"Of course we also looked at Bradley at Bayern," Eberl told Sport Bild. "But when you hear those kinds of figures, it was simply too much for us."
The sporting director revealed his interest in Barcola actually predates his time in Munich, stretching back to an earlier role at RB Leipzig.
"Honestly, I've known Bradley since my time at Leipzig. I wanted to bring him to RB. We sat down together back then and discussed it. That gave me a closer relationship with Bradley. So the interest has always been there."
Bayern Munich ultimately directed their transfer budget elsewhere, opting instead to sign Luis Díaz from Liverpool for around €70 million last summer rather than continue pursuing Barcola.
"With Luis Díaz, we made a decision that was also costly, but on a different scale to Bradley. Díaz is also a player who brings people into the stadium," Eberl said, explaining the club's reasoning for prioritising the Colombian over the Frenchman despite their shared interest in both wide players.
Eberl's comments underline the scale of Barcola's rise since his switch from Lyon, with the 23-year-old now commanding a fee among the highest paid for a winger in the sport's history. Liverpool's pursuit reflected their determination to strengthen going into the new Champions League campaign, and Barcola's arrival adds further attacking depth to a squad already blessed with options across the front line following a busy summer of recruitment at Anfield.
His move continues a recent trend of leading PSG players attracting sustained interest from Bayern's recruitment department, even when the Bundesliga champions ultimately look elsewhere to complete their business.