Aston Villa snatch Liverpool target: the 55 million euro deal draws closer

Aston Villa beat Liverpool to Paris Saint-Germain's gem

Aston Villa have reached an initial agreement to sign forward Ibrahim Mbaye from European champions Paris Saint-Germain, part of the club's push to bolster their attack during the current summer window.

The two clubs have settled on a fee of 55 million euros, according to "The Athletic", with the final touches and official paperwork now under way. The strong relationship between Villa chairman Nassef Sawiris and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi proved pivotal in sealing the deal.

Just 18, the promising forward joined the PSG academy in the summer of 2018 from Versailles. He climbed through the age groups before making his first-team debut in August 2024 at the age of 16.

Mbaye has racked up 42 appearances in a PSG shirt, scoring 4 goals and providing 4 assists. Last season he featured in 31 matches across all competitions, scoring 3 goals and delivering two decisive assists. That form made him a target for a host of major clubs this summer, most notably Liverpool.

On the international stage, Mbaye earned a starting place with Senegal after representing France at youth level. He changed his sporting nationality and made his first appearance for the "Lions of Teranga" in November 2025. The player has 15 international caps, featuring in 6 of Senegal's 7 games at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and starting 3 of their 4 matches at the 2026 World Cup, where he scored in the opening fixture against France.

This deal lands amid a hectic window for Villa. The club have already completed 8 signings and are set to announce Nicolas Jackson as a ninth. Their attack is undergoing a comprehensive rebuild after Morgan Rogers left for Chelsea in a record deal worth 117 million pounds, and with Ollie Watkins closing in on a move to Saudi club Al-Hilal.

Villa had also secured Alejandro Garnacho on a season-long loan from Chelsea and stepped up their pursuit of AC Milan's Rafael Leao on loan before the Italian club accepted a 45 million euro offer from Galatasaray. They tabled an offer for Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta that fell short of the London club's valuation, and enquired about the situation of Bayer Leverkusen forward Christian Kofane.