According to high level media reports on Friday afternoon, PSG's Senegalese forward Ibrahim Mbaye is set to leave PSG and join Premier League side Aston Villa.
Earlier on today, PSG manager Luis Enrique’s travelling squad for tonight’s clash away to LOSC Lille was confirmed, with both Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye both once again not included.
With Barcola, it is clear that this was because he is set to move to Premier League side Liverpool after a saga that feels like it has gone on forever and a day. As for Mbaye, despite transfer links of his own, there didn’t appear to be the same imminent transfer like his counterpart.
Well, now there is. Indeed so, as David Ornstein of The Athletic - who also broke the news of Barcola to Liverpool - has reported that fellow Premier League outfit Aston Villa have agreed a deal in principle to sign Mbaye.
He states that the fee will be €55m, and the relationship between PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Villa co owner, Nassef Sawiris, was key to closing the deal.
It is not the first deal between the two clubs during this summer transfer window, after Lucas Digne went in the other direction earlier on this month, after four and a half years in the West Midlands.
That deal was done very shortly before the UEFA Super Cup a couple of weeks ago, so the Frenchman was only an unused sub against his former club. However, there will be a chance for another reunion, as well as one for Mbaye, as the two sides have been drawn against each other in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League at Villa Park.
Well, it has been quite the turnover for the Parisians this summer. From the forward line alone, we have seen Goncalo Ramos (AC Milan), Kang-in Lee (Atletico Madrid) plus Barcola and Mbaye depart the Parc Des Princes this summer.
Their replacements (so far) have been Mika Godts (AFC Ajax), Ferran Torres (FC Barcelona), and Maghnes Akliouche (AS Monaco). That leaves six players for the three attacking positions alongside the forwards already at the club, in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele.
During his time at PSG, Mbaye was sort of the spare “7th” man of the attack, so it remains to be seen if he is replaced in the transfer market. Perhaps he will be promoted from within, in the same way he came up through the academy. Let’s see.
It will be very interesting to see how he does at Villa. Good luck.
