Manchester City have entered the fray to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Ibrahim Mbaye, a move that could significantly hinder Liverpool’s transfer ambitions, according to reports. The 18-year-old Mbaye made 30 appearances for PSG last season, though primarily as a substitute, during their successful Champions League and Ligue 1 campaigns.
Mbaye, a Senegal international who scored against France at the World Cup, is reportedly seeking an exit from the Parc des Princes this summer, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano. He has already attracted interest from several other European clubs, including Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Tottenham Hotspur, as reported by Foot Mercato. However, Manchester City’s emergence as a potential destination adds a new dimension to the pursuit.
City are considering Mbaye as a potential replacement for Savinho, with the club already adding Mathys Detourbet and Jeremy Monga to their attacking ranks this summer. Detourbet has since been loaned to AS Monaco, and Monga, at 16 years old, is not yet expected to feature prominently in the first team. Mbaye has been lauded as PSG’s ‘next Kylian Mbappe’, and scored three goals and provided two assists for the Parisian side last term.
Liverpool have been closely monitoring Mbaye’s PSG teammate, Bradley Barcola, as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah, who departed earlier this summer. However, Foot Mercato reports that PSG are now less likely to allow Barcola to leave if Mbaye joins Manchester City. PSG manager Luis Enrique has successfully utilized squad rotation in recent seasons, maintaining player freshness for crucial Champions League matches, and is hesitant to weaken his attacking options further. This situation could severely impact Liverpool’s chances of securing Barcola as a replacement for Salah, leaving Andoni Iraola’s side scrambling for alternative options.
