Ibrahim Mbaye agrees to join Liverpool from Paris Saint-Germain

Liverpool appear to have landed their man. Ibrahim Mbaye, the teenage winger who came through Paris Saint-Germain’s academy and broke into their first team before he could legally drive in most countries, has reportedly agreed to make the move to Anfield.

The deal caps off weeks of negotiations between the two clubs over a player who, at just 18, has already racked up 42 senior appearances for one of Europe’s most decorated sides. For Liverpool, it represents a significant step in rebuilding an attack that needed fresh legs following Mohamed Salah’s departure.

From PSG academy to Premier League prospect

Mbaye’s trajectory has been steep even by modern football’s accelerated timelines. Born on January 24, 2008, he joined PSG’s academy at age 10 and made his senior debut in August 2024, when he was just 16.

During the 2025-26 season, Mbaye contributed 3 goals and 2 assists across his 42 first-team outings. He was playing meaningful minutes for a PSG squad competing at the top of both Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

PSG had recently sidelined both Mbaye and teammate Bradley Barcola, a move widely interpreted as a signal that the club was preparing for their departures.

Liverpool had been linked with both players separately. Reports earlier in the window indicated that PSG considered packaging Mbaye and Barcola together in a combined deal that could approach the €200 million mark. Liverpool, it seems, opted for the younger, cheaper option.

The fee question

Negotiations between the two clubs were far from straightforward. PSG’s reported valuation for Mbaye ranged from approximately £34 million to £42 million, north of €40 million. Liverpool’s transfer committee initially considered those figures too steep for a player with only one full senior season under his belt.

The involvement of super-agent Jorge Mendes, who represents Mbaye, added another layer to the discussions.

Mbaye himself was reportedly open to the switch throughout the process. Competition for Mbaye’s signature was not exactly sparse. Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich were all reportedly monitoring his situation at various points during the window.

Filling the Salah-shaped void

It’s worth noting that reports earlier in the window indicated Mbaye was not Liverpool’s primary target. That distinction reportedly belonged to Barcola or other more established options. Liverpool appear to have recognized that Mbaye’s combination of age, experience, and development potential represented strong value, even at a price point in the £34-42 million range.

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