Liverpool's Pursuit of Ibrahim Mbaye from PSG
Liverpool’s post-Salah rebuild is starting to take shape – and the next signing from Paris Saint-Germain may not be the name most expected.
For weeks, the noise around Anfield has centred on Bradley Barcola as the marquee wide forward to succeed Mohamed Salah. Yet while that saga drags on, another deal with PSG is moving quietly but decisively: an agreement for 18-year-old Senegalese striker Ibrahim Mbaye is now described as “expected” by RMC Sport.
PSG’s summer of sales – and Mbaye’s place in it
This is no routine window in Paris. The European champions have already banked close to €150 million, with Kang-in Lee heading to Atletico Madrid, Goncalo Ramos to Milan and Randal Kolo Muani to Juventus. The word from France is that this is shaping up to be a “historic” summer of outgoing business for PSG – and Mbaye could be the next name on the departure board.
He still has two years left on his contract and is regarded as one of the brighter young forwards in French football. But the pathway under Luis Enrique is crowded. PSG have been chasing an A-list attacker, looking at the likes of Julian Alvarez and Yan Diomande earlier in the window, which only tightens the squeeze on minutes for an 18-year-old trying to break through.
At some point, something has to give. Mbaye looks like that pressure valve.
Liverpool vs Leverkusen for a rising talent
The valuation is clear enough: Mbaye is priced in the €35–45 million bracket. The competition is equally clear. Bayer Leverkusen are in the race and, according to Canal+ journalist Olivier Tallaron, they currently hold the edge over Liverpool.
That view clashes with RMC Sport’s line, which stresses Mbaye’s interest in developing on Merseyside. Two narratives, one tug of war. The Bundesliga champions can offer a proven development pathway under Xabi Alonso, but Liverpool can offer Anfield, the Premier League and a front line in transition with space for a new star to grow.
For now, it’s a straight fight for a teenager who has yet to command a regular starting spot in Paris but is already commanding serious money.
Separate tracks: Mbaye and Barcola
What this is not, according to FourFourTwo, is a simple either-or. Liverpool’s pursuit of Mbaye runs separately to their chase for Barcola. The distinction is tactical as much as financial.
Barcola, a French international, is primarily a left-winger. Mbaye is seen more as a right-sided option. Both can operate on either flank and through the middle, which suits a Liverpool squad already heavy on versatility.
But the Barcola deal is a different beast. RMC Sport report that talks are ongoing with PSG, yet “the two sides are currently far apart” on valuation. PSG want over €150 million. Liverpool are determined not to blow apart their structure for one player. As RMC put it, a compromise will be needed for anything to happen.
Right now, that compromise looks distant.
A crowded canvas for Iraola
All of this feeds into a fascinating tactical puzzle for Andoni Iraola. Liverpool have already added Victor Munoz, while Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike all offer options on the left or centrally. The board is full of pieces; the picture is not yet clear.
Who actually owns the left flank? Who leads the line? Who drops in behind? And crucially, who claims the right, the old Salah territory that defined an era?
Iraola’s history offers a clue. At Bournemouth he showed no fear in using right-footers on the right and left-footers on the left, leaning on players like Alex Jimenez and later Marcus Tavernier in more orthodox wide roles. He is not wedded to inverted wingers for the sake of it. He wants balance, intensity and direct threat.
That makes Mbaye an intriguing fit. A right-sided forward who can switch flanks or go through the middle gives Iraola another flexible tool in a front line already rich with hybrid profiles.
The next move
While Liverpool wrestle with PSG over Barcola’s nine-figure fee, the Mbaye deal feels more attainable, more in line with the club’s usual blend of ambition and restraint. PSG are selling, Liverpool are reshaping, and an 18-year-old Senegalese forward finds himself at the crossroads of two heavyweight projects.
If Liverpool win this particular race, Mbaye won’t just be another name on a long transfer list. He’ll walk into a dressing room still adjusting to life after Salah, with a right flank waiting for a new story.
The only question now is whether that story begins at Anfield or in Leverkusen.
