Aston Villa Agree to Sign Ibrahim Mbaye from PSG for €55m
Aston Villa have struck an agreement in principle with Paris Saint‑Germain to sign Ibrahim Mbaye in a €55m (£47m) deal, landing one of Europe’s most coveted teenagers at the very moment their season has started to unravel.
The 18-year-old winger, long tracked by Liverpool and monitored by Chelsea and RB Leipzig, is set to undergo a medical on Saturday before signing a five-year contract, with an option for a further year. If all goes to plan, he will walk into a club desperate for a jolt of energy and quality.
Villa move fast after nightmare start
Villa’s need is obvious. Their Premier League campaign began with a 4-0 hammering by Brighton, a defeat made worse by Joao Gomes’s red card. Bottom of the table after the opening weekend, with the mood around Villa Park already turning anxious, the club have moved aggressively in the market.
Mbaye, who has already made 42 senior appearances for PSG, will arrive as a headline attacking signing and a partner in crime for Alejandro Garnacho, who joined on loan from Chelsea. Two new wide options, both young, both fearless. It is a clear attempt to reset the tone of the season.
The deal is a blow to Liverpool. They had been linked with Mbaye throughout the summer but stepped away once PSG’s initial asking price climbed towards €70m. That opened the door for Villa, who were prepared to meet the revised demands and push the transfer over the line.
Liverpool pivot to Minteh as Brighton dig in
Once PSG’s valuation for Mbaye hardened, Liverpool turned their attention elsewhere. Their search has taken them to Brighton and Yankuba Minteh, but that pursuit has quickly turned into a test of Brighton’s resolve.
Liverpool have already seen two substantial bids – £50m and £60m – rejected for the winger. Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler has made it clear he wants to keep Minteh, even if he cannot fully control what happens in the final days of the window.
“Rumours. Rumours,” Hurzeler said when asked about Liverpool’s interest. “Let’s see what happens. Again, another example of a player who benefits from the success of the team.
“He benefits for example from hard work from Pascal [Gross], hard work from Jack Hinshelwood, hard work from all the other players.
“And he knows it. Therefore I also think it’s important to understand as a player what you have here, playing for a club like Brighton.
“You have a club that gives you the chance, you team-mates who are really trying to push you, you have a club that is there for you also in tough moments.
“[New Man United signing] Carlos Baleba had so many tough moments when he was here, Minteh also had tough moments, but we were always there for them, always tried to help them, their team-mates are there for them.
“So I think it’s also important for the players to understand what they have here with this club, how the fans are connected, how we are working together.
“It’s difficult to find a similar environment, or better environment, for potential young players. But the same with Minteh, we were successful as a team, that brings attention on him, so let’s see what happens.
“If you ask me if I’ll try to convince him to stay, yes I try to convince him to stay. But can I control everything? No, I can’t control everything.”
Minteh is currently sidelined with a leg injury but is open to a move to Anfield. Liverpool, wary of being left short in wide areas, have also made an enquiry for Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr this week as they weigh up their next step.
For Villa, the picture is clearer. They have paid the price PSG wanted, beaten some of Europe’s biggest clubs to Mbaye, and handed him a long contract. The question now is simple: can an 18-year-old from Paris help drag a shaken side off the foot of the table and turn a wretched start into a revival?
