BREAKING: Liverpool “step up pursuit” of second PSG star alongside Barcola

Liverpool were always going to need to add attacking firepower this summer. During his nine-year career with the Reds, Mohamed Salah scored 257 goals and registered 123 assists in just 442 appearances. So, despite a down season last time round, the Egyptian King was always going to leave an enormous void.

Well, Salah was in the new on Tuesday, with Trabzonspor making the surprise announcement that he will now be calling northeaster Türkiye, on the banks of the Black Sea, his home for the next two seasons. While the 34 year old was joining a new club, Liverpool might have just identified who they believe to be Salah's successor.

As reported by Fabrice Hawkins of RMC Sport, Liverpool "have stepped up their pursuit" of Paris Saint-Germain winger Ibrahim Mbaye. They add that the teenager is "very keen about the prospect of joining the Reds", while negotiations between the two clubs are "expected to begin" in the coming days. Apparently, Mbaye is valued at just €40 million by PSG, which feels like a bargain.

Concurrently, Liverpool are leading the race to sign Bradley Barcola, also from les Rouge-et-Bleu, but the European champions value the French international at €150 million (around £130 million), while the Reds' opening offer has been closer to £80 million. Nevertheless, it appears as though Richard Hughes and Andoni Iraola are going on something of a proverbial Parisian shopping trip up the Champs-Élysées, so could both be soon heading to Anfield?

Who is Ibrahim Mbaye?

Born in Northern France, Mbaye moved south to join FC Versailles as a seven year old, before being picked up by the Paris Saint-Germain academy at the age of ten. He starred for the club at youth level, scoring twice in the UEFA Youth League and winning three consecutive under-19 Championnat National titles.

Thus, he was integrated into the PSG first team by head coach Luis Enrique two summers ago, making his competitive senior debut against Le Havre at Stade Océane. In doing so, he became the youngest starter in the club's history, snatching the record away from team mate Warren Zaïre-Emery, who had held this for just two years.

Since then, Mbaye has made 42 appearances for les Rouge-et-Bleu, of which just 15 have been starts, scoring four goals, all in Ligue 1, on target against Saint-Étienne, Stade Rennais, Lorient and Lens.

Still only a teenager, he took the bold decision to switch his international allegiance to Senegal last year, debuting for the Lions of Téranga against Brazil. He then featured in six of their seven Africa Cup of Nations matches as Pape Thiaw's capture the trophy; whether they get to keep it or not remains a question mark. Mbaye then appeared in all four of Senegal's World Cup matches this summer, scoring against France at MetLife, which will have been a massive moment for him, starting the 5-0 demolition of Iraq in Toronto.

Thus, Mbaye is clearly an ultra-talented young player, if a raw one. Thus, if the Reds are able to land him for as little as €40 million, this a player that Liverpool should certainly take a punt on, but how would he fit into Iraola's team?

How would Ibrahim Mbaye fit in at Liverpool?

As already alluded to, Iraola is in desperate need of reinforcements, all across the pitch really, but especially in attack. If Barcola does arrive, the Reds would be stacked for options on the left side, with Cody Gakpo, Víctor Muñoz and Rio Ngumoha already vying for that spot. On the right wing however, there currently exist a gigantic question mark.

Well, in his senior PSG career, Mbaye has been deployed in various positions, but most commonly from the right. The aforementioned RMC report describes the Senegalese international as "capable of creating chances [and] making a difference in one-on-one situations", which is pretty much bang on, not to mention the fact that he is extremely quick. A scouting report by Beth Limb of Total Football Analysis notes that he boasts "rapid acceleration" and loves to make runs in-behind.

Well, this makes him well suited to an Iraola team, which will prioritise high-energy, high-intensity and quick counter attackers, returning the Reds to the early Jürgen Klopp-era style. Thus, Mbaye would arrive on Merseyside as first-choice on the right-wing, a major improvement on his current situation at PSG, where he is pretty low down the depth chart, below Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Senny Mayulu and, for now at least, Barcola.

Thus, this feels like a move that suits all involved, and one supporters should be very exicted about.

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