Ibrahim Mbaye Rejects Villa Interest as Liverpool and City Pursue PSG Star
Aston Villa thought they were in the conversation. Ibrahim Mbaye’s camp have made it clear they are not.
The PSG forward, one of the brightest teenagers in Europe, has cooled on a move to Villa Park and is now being actively offered to Liverpool and Manchester City, with both clubs monitoring the situation rather than driving it.
Liverpool chase Barcola – but door stays open for Mbaye
Liverpool’s primary obsession on the flanks is clear: Bradley Barcola.
The France international sits at the top of their winger shortlist, with the club prepared to push hard in the final stretch of the window. PSG, though, have planted a huge price tag in the ground – around €170m (£145m) – and are in no rush to fold.
Reporter Ben Jacobs has detailed how Liverpool and Barcola’s camp will try to drag that figure down, with the player understood to be keen on Anfield. Liverpool’s need is obvious. Mohamed Salah has gone. Federico Chiesa has a genuine chance of following him out of the door. Strip those names away and the wide options suddenly look thin: Rio Ngumoha, Cody Gakpo and Victor Munoz, plus any new arrivals.
That is why Liverpool are not ruling out signing two wingers. Barcola is the statement piece. Mbaye could be the high-upside addition on top.
TEAMtalk report that Mbaye has been offered to Liverpool, with the 18‑year‑old and his representatives open to a move if the pathway and project are right. Crucially, Graeme Bailey, who broke the story, stresses Mbaye is not at the top of Liverpool’s list. Barcola remains the priority. Any move for Mbaye would be as well as, not instead of, the Frenchman – and would likely depend on someone like Chiesa leaving.
PSG’s crowded attack pushes Mbaye towards the exit
Mbaye’s situation at PSG explains the shift.
Despite being just 18, the Senegal international – already capped 15 times – racked up 31 appearances last season. That is no small feat in a squad stacked with attacking talent. Luis Enrique could call on Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue and Barcola across the frontline, with Goncalo Ramos and Lee Kang-In also in the mix before their moves to AC Milan and Atletico Madrid.
Mbaye, right-footed and used primarily off the right flank in the 2025/26 campaign, still forced his way into that rotation. That alone underlines why Europe’s elite are paying attention.
Yet the competition is only getting fiercer. PSG plan to add Maghnes Akliouche from Monaco, tightening the squeeze on minutes for a young winger still carving out his identity at the top level. According to TEAMtalk, Mbaye’s camp now believe that a move away is the best route for his development and long-term career.
Villa left behind as Mbaye eyes serial winners
Aston Villa moved early. Talks took place, and on paper it made sense: a Champions League club with an ambitious project, a demanding coach, and a clear need for more depth in attacking areas.
Mbaye and his representatives have looked higher.
The report states that they now favour a move to a club that regularly competes for – and wins – the biggest trophies. That narrows the field. Liverpool and Manchester City have been offered the chance to bring him in and are understood to hold a level of interest, but neither has yet pushed him to the top of their agenda.
For City, Mbaye would be another elite prospect to drop into an already glittering attacking unit. For Liverpool, he could be part of a wider rebuild of the forward line, a second punch after Barcola if the numbers and exits line up.
Villa, for all their recent progress, sit on the outside of that conversation.
The message from Mbaye’s camp is blunt: this next step has to be at the very top. Whether that leads him to Anfield, the Etihad, or keeps him in Paris a little longer, will say plenty about how Europe’s giants really value one of PSG’s most intriguing young talents.
