Ibrahim Mbaye’s Future: Not Aston Villa, Liverpool and City Interested

Ibrahim Mbaye’s next move will not be to Aston Villa. That much is clear.

The Paris Saint-Germain teenager, widely regarded as one of the brightest wide prospects in French football, has instead been steered firmly towards the very top of the European food chain, with his representatives sounding out both Liverpool and Manchester City over a summer switch.

Villa talks stall as Mbaye aims higher

Aston Villa were not a token name in this chase. Their interest was real, their talks advanced. The club explored a deal and pushed to position Villa Park as the right stage for Mbaye’s breakthrough in the Premier League.

But when discussions reached the crucial point, Mbaye’s camp hit the brakes.

Those close to the player, sources say, have reached a firm conclusion: leaving PSG is likely to be the right call for his long-term development. Staying in the shadows of established stars in Paris is not seen as the ideal route for a teenager whose ceiling they rate as elite.

If he moves, the destination has to mirror that ambition.

That is the lens through which Villa’s project was ultimately judged. Respect for what Unai Emery has built did not change the feeling within Mbaye’s entourage that his next club should be one that competes consistently for the biggest trophies, season after season.

Liverpool and City sounded out

With that in mind, Mbaye’s name has now been put directly to Liverpool and Manchester City in recent days.

Both clubs are in the market for attacking reinforcements. Both have the profile and platform his representatives want. And both, crucially, have done their homework on him.

At Liverpool, recruitment staff have followed Mbaye’s progress in Paris for some time. The club is actively scouring the market for wide forwards as Richard Hughes reshapes the squad for Andoni Iraola after Mohamed Salah’s departure. Mbaye sits within that wider scouting picture.

Across the north-west, City are also retooling. Enzo Maresca is reshaping his attack and the champions have already moved early in the window. Mbaye’s talent has not gone unnoticed at the Etihad either.

There is admiration. There is recognition of his long-term upside. But there is also a hard reality.

Not top of the list – for now

For both Liverpool and City, Mbaye is not currently at the top of the winger shortlist.

Liverpool’s primary focus remains Bradley Barcola, another PSG talent, as they weigh up high-profile options across Europe to refresh their forward line. Other names, not Mbaye, dominate the immediate agenda at Anfield.

City are in a similar position. They acknowledge the teenager’s potential, yet other attacking targets sit ahead of him in their planning as they look for players ready to impact a title-chasing squad immediately.

That doesn’t close the door. It just means it is not the first one either club plans to walk through.

A patient camp, a pivotal decision

Those around Mbaye are in no rush to grab the quickest exit from PSG. The brief is clear: the right sporting project, not just the first contract on the table.

Interest across Europe continues to build, and his representatives are expected to hold further talks over the coming weeks as they test which club can offer a genuine pathway, not just a badge and a promise.

For now, Liverpool and Manchester City know exactly where he is and what he wants.

The next move, for one of France’s most highly regarded teenagers, will say a lot about how he plans to turn potential into something far more tangible.