This is an updated version of an article which first appeared on The Athletic this month.
For those who are not regular watchers of France’s Ligue 1, your first introduction to Ibrahim Mbaye may have been his sensational solo goal at the World Cup for Senegal against France.
It may have only been a consolation in a 3-1 defeat, but it saw Mbaye become the youngest African player to score at a World Cup, aged 18 years and 143 days.
And setting records for becoming the youngest to do something has been part of the right-winger’s routine since he became Paris Saint-Germain’s youngest league starter (16 years and 205 days old) when he was selected to play against Le Havre in August 2024.
Born in Trappes, a western suburb of Paris, he chose to represent Senegal — where his father is from — at senior international level, despite representing France through the youth levels up to under-20s. He became his nation’s youngest player to appear at the Africa Cup of Nations in December 2025 and their youngest goalscorer in the tournament when he scored against Sudan in the round of 16.
It is no wonder that the now-18-year-old had been looked at by several of Europe’s top clubs since he broke through at PSG. Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool and Aston Villa were three of the teams that explored a move for the winger this summer, but senior club sources at Liverpool insisted it had gone no further, dismissing reports that personal terms had been agreed.
Villa, in the meantime, had viewed Mbaye as a leading target from as early as January. They had wanted him then, but could not afford him due to ongoing financial restrictions limiting their spending.
They made contact again a few months later, believing a deal would cost £40million-£50million (about $61m). It became evident it would be towards the top end. There was a feeling among those close to Mbaye heading into the summer that Villa may have missed their opportunity.
Still, Villa’s priority position was a fast, right-sided winger who made frequent runs beyond opposition defences. Mbaye was always the player favoured across the board.
Negotiations were complex. The forward is represented by London-based agency Golden Gate, but this year, he enlisted the services of Jorge Mendes and his agency Gestifute before a potential summer move.
Each time Villa felt they were close, or a deal was likely, they were pushed back. Even after the signing of Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea, Villa never closed the door on Mbaye. Representatives of other targets, in messages seen by The Athletic, were informed that Villa were not pursuing players who primarily operate as traditional left-wingers. Mbaye’s best position was viewed as off the right.
Ibrahim Mbaye, right, impressed against France in New Jersey (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Mbaye’s arrival seemed out of reach, with Villa pursuing Rafael Leao intently. But the relationship between Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was seen as key to getting the deal done. On Friday, a €55million (£47m; $64m) agreement in principle was finalised.
As for Leao, the player wished to join, but Villa could not reach the required financial package, having only offered an informal proposal of a loan plus an obligation. In the end, Villa never made a formal offer for the 27-year-old.
Mbaye has had quite the rise for a youngster whose first sporting love was not football — he preferred basketball. His father, Abdoulaye, showed him plenty of football videos and his interest grew. He joined Guyancourt, a local club in Yvelines. He then moved on to Versailles, which has a reputation for having a well-run academy.
His talent and potential were enough for PSG to get involved, and they brought him into their academy system at the age of 10. His rise continued, and by 16 he was playing for the under-19s, helping them win the Championnat National U19 title in 2024. He received the club’s Titi d’Or award, given to the most promising player in the club’s academy, in the same year.
In the summer of 2024, Mbaye was given the opportunity to train with the first team and left such an impression that head coach Luis Enrique started him in the first league game of the 2024-25 season. He made 10 appearances in all competitions and was on the bench as PSG won the Champions League for the first time.
He saw an increase in his involvement last season, making 30 appearances in all competitions. If a reminder of his age was needed, it came in September 2025, when Mbaye could not travel with the squad for an away game against Marseille because he had to sit an exam. He joined up with the squad later in the day instead, and came on as a very late substitute.
The youngster is still a raw prospect who is developing, but his youth brings a fearlessness when he is in possession. He is right-footed and has predominantly played on the right wing, but is comfortable operating on both flanks.
He uses his acceleration and excellent turning to get out of tight spaces rather than into physical duels where opponents can dominate him. He frequently looks to drive forward with the ball, which often leads to chance creation rather than shooting opportunities for himself.
Mbaye does look to get to the byline and provide the textbook low cutback for a team-mate, but his low cross volume (5 out of 99) and high link-up play (86 out of 99) in the graphic above suggest he profiles more as a quick-passing inside forward rather than a touchline-hugging winger.
It must be noted that his 997 league minutes last season are still a relatively small sample size, so an increased role at a new club would help paint a clearer picture of the multi-faceted attacker.
Mbaye, centre, celebrates with Senegal team-mates after the AFCON round-of-16 match against Sudan in January (Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP via Getty Images)
Mbaye was involved in PSG’s pre-season, scoring in a 1-1 friendly draw against Manchester United, but he was an unused substitute in the French side’s 2-1 UEFA Super Cup victory over Villa. The forward, alongside team-mate Bradley Barcola — who is also at the centre of transfer speculation — was then left out of the squad that was beaten 1-0 by Lens in the Trophee des Champions and the squad for PSG’s opening game of the league season against Rennes.
His future may have been uncertain for much of this summer, but his talent is not, and that is why he is an enticing prospect. Emery said Villa were in “rebuild” last week — they hope Mbaye can be the face of the club’s next era.
