Mbaye Chooses Liverpool or Man City Over Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s ambitious recruitment drive has hit a sharp bump in the road, with Paris Saint-Germain forward Ibrahim Mbaye turning his back on a move to Villa Park as his camp angles for a transfer to Liverpool or Manchester City instead.
The 18-year-old, already a 15-cap Senegal international, had been in talks with Villa, but those discussions have cooled dramatically. The message from the player’s side is clear: he wants a stage that regularly hosts the game’s biggest nights and biggest prizes.
Liverpool’s wing rebuild – Barcola first, Mbaye in the wings
At Anfield, the focus remains firmly on Bradley Barcola. Liverpool are preparing a major push to land the France international before the window closes, with the PSG winger at the top of their list for wide reinforcements.
PSG, though, have drawn a hard line. Their asking price stands at a huge €170m (£145m), a figure that would test even the most aggressive recruitment strategy. Liverpool and Barcola’s camp are expected to push back and try to drag that fee down, and crucially, Barcola is understood to be keen on the move.
Liverpool’s need on the flanks is obvious. Mohamed Salah has gone, and Federico Chiesa could follow him out of the door. If the Italian does depart, the club’s wide options would be reduced to Rio Ngumoha, Cody Gakpo and Victor Munoz, with Barcola still only a target rather than a guarantee.
That thinness out wide opens the door to another signing. This is where Mbaye enters the conversation.
TEAMtalk report that Mbaye has been offered to Liverpool, with his representatives sensing an opportunity in a squad being reshaped in the final weeks of the window. Graeme Bailey, who broke the story, notes that Liverpool do hold an interest, but he is not at the top of their shortlist. Barcola remains the priority. Any move for Mbaye would likely be on top of, not instead of, a Barcola deal – and would probably depend on at least one more winger leaving, such as Chiesa.
PSG’s crowded attack pushes Mbaye towards the exit
Mbaye’s availability is a direct consequence of PSG’s relentless stockpiling of attacking talent.
Last season, the teenager still managed to carve out 31 appearances in all competitions, a notable return for an 18-year-old surrounded by established stars. Luis Enrique had Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue and Barcola at his disposal in the attacking roles, with Mbaye often operating off the right flank, his natural side.
On top of that, the coach could also call on Goncalo Ramos and Lee Kang-In, both since sold – Ramos to AC Milan and Lee to Atletico Madrid. Yet even with those exits, Mbaye’s pathway remains blocked. PSG are planning to add Maghnes Akliouche from Monaco, another highly rated attacking option who would crowd the picture further.
Faced with that logjam, Mbaye’s camp have decided that a move is the best way to protect his development and long-term career. The teenager wants minutes at the highest level, not just a place on a star-studded bench.
Villa left behind as Mbaye’s camp aim for the elite
Aston Villa, who have been trying to bridge the gap to the Premier League’s established elite with shrewd, high-impact signings, were in talks to bring Mbaye to Birmingham. For a club now rubbing shoulders with Europe’s best, it looked a logical step: a young, explosive attacker with top-level experience and room to grow under an ambitious coach.
But the mood shifted. Mbaye and his representatives have cooled on the idea of Villa Park as the next stop. The pull of clubs that consistently compete for league titles and Champions League honours has proved stronger.
So his name has now landed on the desks at Liverpool and Manchester City.
Bailey reports that both clubs have registered interest, but with a caveat: Mbaye is not the primary target for either. For Liverpool, that status belongs to Barcola. For City, who already boast a deep, versatile forward line, Mbaye would represent a longer-term project rather than an urgent need.
Even so, these are the kinds of opportunities elite clubs rarely ignore. A teenager with 31 appearances in a pressure-cooker environment like PSG, already an international for Senegal, right-footed and comfortable on the right flank – that profile tends to find a home near the top of the game.
Villa, for all their progress, have discovered the hard reality of this market. When a player and his camp start thinking about medals and monuments, they usually look first to Anfield and the Etihad.
Now the question is simple: do Liverpool or City turn tentative interest into a concrete bid, or does one of Europe’s brightest young forwards find himself stuck in the shadows of Paris for another season?
