Liverpool transfer blow as Ibrahim Mbaye "reaches agreement" to join Premier League rival for £47m

With just over 96 hours until the transfer window slams shut, Liverpool are still yet to significantly strengthen their winger options. Wide spread reports on Thursday suggested that Liverpool are close to agreeing an £120 million move with Paris Saint-Germain for Bradley Barcola. Since then though, there have been no new updates, which is concerning as the clock ticks down.

However, what we can say with some certainty is that a different PSG attacker will not be heading to Merseyside, despite Liverpool interest.

That is because, as reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, Aston Villa "have reached an agreement" with PSG to sign Ibrahim Mbaye. He adds that the Villans have agreed to pay €55 million, around £47 million, to recruit the teenaged Senegalese international.

Aston Villa are going through a complete rebuild this summer. Unai Emery has lost Youri Tielemans, Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers and Lucas Digne, with Emi Martínez and Ollie Watkins on their way out too, while Amadou Onana has ruptured his ACL.

To replace them, the Claret and Blue Army have signed Zion Suzuki, Johan Manzambi, João Gomes, Leon Goretzka, Matteo Ruggeri, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Alejandro Garnacho, but Mbaye could prove to be the best of the bunch.

Still only 18 years old, Mbaye is one of the most highly-rated young attackers in the world. He featured in all four of Senegal's matches at the World Cup during the summer, having scored four goals and racked up four assists across just 1,518 minutes for PSG's senior team. That is a goal contribution ever 190 minutes on average, despite never being a regular.

Liverpool made contact with Mbaye’s camp over a potential move at the beginning of August, with the 18-year-old one of many candidates for the right wing.

But with their demands considered too high the Reds pivoted to alternative targets, with Brighton Hove Albion Yankuba Minteh subject of two unsuccessful bids of £50 million and £60 million.

While Mbaye remained a possibility in the final days of the transfer window, Villa have now reached an agreement with the European Champions.

Mbaye has not featured in any of les Parisiens' three competitive matches so far this season, clearly not in Luis Enrique's plans, so will be heading to the Midlands. This looks like an excellent addition for Villa, but will Liverpool rue passing up the teenager?

Fans' reaction to Mbaye joining Aston Villa

Of course, only time will tell if Mbaye going to Aston Villa is a massive mistake by Liverpool or not. He has only ever started 15 senior club games, of which only one has come in the Champions League, so he is all potentiall and certainly not a sure thing.

If Barcola does end up on Merseyside in the end, Kopites will certainly feel a lot better about their summer business. Now though, it feels as though Liverpool are unable to get any deals of the line, with top targets going to Aston Villa instead, whether that is the case or not.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow