Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain star Ibrahim Mbaye, and now another positive update on the situation has emerged.
The 18-year-old is a player with a huge future in the game, and reliable journalist Paul Joyce of The Times talked up the Reds’ interest in him on Wednesday:
“Liverpool have broadened their search for attacking reinforcements to Paris Saint-Germain’s teenage winger Ibrahim Mbaye. Interest in the Senegal international is separate to Liverpool’s long-running pursuit of his club team-mate Bradley Barcola, although PSG’s £145million valuation of Barcola is proving problematic. As a result, the Anfield club are considering a number of options with Mbaye, 18, among those being studied.”
Now, Caught Offside report that Liverpool are planning talks over the signing of Champions League-winning ace Mbaye, with a source telling them:
“Liverpool are preparing to start official talks for Mbaye. PSG are expected to demand a transfer fee between €40–50 million for him. Mbaye likes the Liverpool project and sees it as his priority.”
The one negative is that the update also points out that senior figures at PSG “have concerns” about Mbaye “due to his fitness, weight problems, and diet”, as well as having “trouble with being late to training”. Those accusations are denied by the player’s camp, though.
Ibrahim Mbaye can excel under Andoni Iraola at Liverpool
While the above negatives against Mbaye may concern some, the positives are clear to see, with the 18-year-old an incredible talent who has been lauded by Senegal coach Pape Thiaw:
“His potential for improvement is enormous. He’s already won many trophies. At 17, I was playing in the Gambardella Cup. He’s a phenomenon who’s at an excellent club with a very good coach. Tonight, he was good. But he needs to improve.”
Mabye can excel on both wings, but his preferred role is on the right where Liverpool are short of options, and his pace in behind can be a potent weapon in Andoni Iraola’s style of play.
At 18, he is clearly still raw, and should come in as a squad player to begin with, but if the Reds manage to sign both him and Bradley Barcola, things will suddenly look far brighter in attack.