Mbaye Snubbed Aston Villa for Liverpool and Man City

Aston Villa have been pushed to the side in the race for Ibrahim Mbaye, with the Paris Saint‑Germain forward’s camp now actively steering him towards Liverpool or Manchester City.

The 18-year-old, already a 15-cap Senegal international, had been in talks over a move to Villa Park. Those discussions have cooled sharply. Mbaye and his representatives no longer see Villa as the right next step and are instead targeting what they regard as the game’s very top table: clubs that compete for – and win – the biggest prizes every season.

That has led to Liverpool and City being formally offered the chance to sign him.

Liverpool’s wide rebuild

The timing is no accident. Liverpool are deep into a major reshaping of their attack, particularly out wide.

Bradley Barcola is the headline target. The France international sits at the top of Liverpool’s winger shortlist, and the club are expected to push hard for him before the window closes. PSG, though, have drawn a hard line: a huge €170m (£145m) asking price.

Liverpool and Barcola’s camp will try to drag that figure down. The player is understood to be keen on the move, but PSG know his value and have already shown they are prepared to stand firm with elite assets.

Liverpool’s need on the flanks is obvious. Mohamed Salah has gone. Federico Chiesa has a real chance of leaving. If the Italian does depart, the current wide options would be stripped back to Rio Ngumoha, Cody Gakpo and Victor Munoz, with Barcola only a possibility rather than a guarantee.

That scenario opens the door to a second winger signing. This is where Mbaye comes into focus.

Mbaye’s PSG squeeze

Mbaye is not a fringe academy hopeful. Last season he made 31 appearances for PSG, no small feat in an attack stacked with Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue and Barcola.

Luis Enrique also had Goncalo Ramos and Lee Kang‑In at his disposal during the previous campaign, before both moved on to AC Milan and Atletico Madrid respectively. Even in that crowded environment, Mbaye forced his way onto the pitch.

Right-footed and primarily used off the right flank in the 2025/26 season, he offers direct running, energy and versatility in the final third. Yet the path to a guaranteed starting role in Paris remains clogged. PSG are planning to add Maghnes Akliouche from Monaco to the mix, another sign that the club will continue to recruit aggressively in attacking areas.

Faced with that picture, Mbaye’s camp now believe a move away is the best route for his development and long-term career. Regular minutes at a high level, not just sporadic cameos in a superstar squad, have become the priority.

Liverpool, City interest – but not top of the list

According to Graeme Bailey, Liverpool and Manchester City do hold an interest in Mbaye. Neither, though, view him as their primary wide target.

For Liverpool, that status still belongs firmly to Barcola. Any move for Mbaye would likely be as well as the Frenchman, not instead of him, and would probably depend on at least one more departure from their current stable of wingers – Chiesa the most obvious candidate.

At City, Mbaye would enter another fiercely competitive environment, but one where Pep Guardiola has consistently rotated and developed young attackers. The appeal for the player is clear: elite coaching, a trophy-laden squad, and a platform on the biggest stage.

For now, the message from Mbaye’s side is clear. Villa were an option. They no longer are. The teenager’s next step, they believe, should come in the colours of a club accustomed to shaping title races and Champions League nights, not just chasing the pack.