Liverpool Agree Terms with PSG's Ibrahim Mbaye Amid Barcola Saga
Liverpool’s pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain’s attack has taken a sharp twist, with terms now agreed for Ibrahim Mbaye as the long-running Bradley Barcola chase threatens to stall.
The Reds have been locked in talks for Barcola all summer, attracted by the World Cup star’s pedigree and ceiling, but PSG’s stance on a nine-figure fee has slowed everything to a crawl. FourFourTwo understands Liverpool have already thrashed out a contract with Barcola, yet the club are wary of being dragged into a drawn-out saga and have started to move on a parallel track.
That second track leads straight to Mbaye.
Mbaye deal in place as Liverpool hedge their bets
RMC Sport report that Liverpool have now agreed terms with the Senegalese teenager on a five-year deal, pressing ahead with a move that runs alongside – not instead of – their pursuit of Barcola. The Barcola negotiations remain alive, but the reality that they might not land him has forced Liverpool to act decisively on his PSG team-mate.
Mbaye, still a raw prospect, has been on Liverpool’s radar throughout the window. While Barcola has always been the priority target, the club never closed the door on the younger forward, and now they’ve stepped through it.
Both players are understood to be keen on a Premier League switch. The route into the first team under Andoni Iraola is seen as clearer, with less suffocating competition than at PSG and a structure that could fast-track their development.
PSG reloads up front
The backdrop to all this is a frantic summer in Paris. PSG have reshaped their attack, allowing Goncalo Ramos to depart for Ruben Amorim’s Milan and then accelerating deals for World Cup final hero Ferran Torres and Ajax starlet Mika Godts.
Luis Enrique’s side already boasted a devastating first-choice trio last season. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele combined for 52 goals in all competitions, while Barcola added 13 and Mbaye chipped in with three. The numbers underline the pecking order: both Barcola and Mbaye spent most of the campaign as rotation options.
Barcola actually featured more than any other PSG attacker across Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and the Champions League, but often from the bench. Mbaye’s role was even more limited. Enrique stuck to a clear formula when the stakes were highest, leaning on his established stars and using the youngsters to maintain intensity rather than define games.
Even Dembele, one of the headline names, started only 10 league matches for the eventual French champions. PSG’s response this summer has been to double down on depth, stockpiling quality around their superstars to keep them fresh for the decisive European nights.
That strategy has opened the door for Liverpool.
Life after Salah and the right-wing question
At Anfield, the rebuild in attack is still taking shape after the departure of Mohamed Salah, the defining forward of the club’s modern era. So far, Liverpool have only added Spanish winger Victor Munoz to their frontline, leaving obvious gaps and big questions on the right.
On the left, the picture is crowded. Munoz, Rio Ngumoha, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz can all operate off that flank, giving Iraola a surplus of options cutting in from the left side. The opposite wing is different. That’s where Mbaye comes into focus.
The teenager offers a potential solution on the right, a profile that balances a squad heavy with left-sided threats. If Liverpool can close the deal, they will have secured a high-upside attacker at a time when the market for established stars is inflated and unforgiving.
The Barcola chase isn’t over. But by tying up terms with Mbaye, Liverpool have made sure they’re no longer waiting on PSG’s timetable.
