This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
Liverpool transfer target Ibrahim Mbaye is set to join Aston Villa in a deal worth €55m (£47m), according to multiple reports.
The Reds had ended their pursuit of the 18-year-old due to concerns over the price. However, after hearing that the Senegalese starlet will cost less than the Merseyside club’s other targets – Yankuba Minteh and Ismaila Sarr – supporters on X have asked why Mbaye wasn’t signed instead:
We’re a disaster
— … (@xuser932) August 28, 2026
LFC been sleeping all summer
— Martyn (@Martyn_j_w) August 28, 2026
That makes no sense to me. Why didn't we bid for him if he was only 55 mil?
— LFC Sach✨ (@SachGKT18) August 28, 2026
All things considered that's a bargain for them, I don't know why we have been priced out of that deal
— Jorge (@elculomanco) August 28, 2026
Surely we go for Minteh now. I’d rather have spent €55m on Mbaye than whatever we’re talking about for Sarr
— Barzini (@Barzini_TLW) August 28, 2026
Villa may have got a special deal for Mbaye
It has been suggested that Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Aston Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris are on good terms, and that may have led to the Midlands club getting preferential treatment.
No matter how the move has come about, though, it doesn’t reflect well on sporting director Richard Hughes, who had been in talks to sign Mbaye for several weeks.
Buy a brand new 2026/27 Liverpool third shirt from Fanatics here
Where does this leave Liverpool?
Andoni Iraola’s side have had two bids (worth £50m and £60m) rejected for Minteh, and a £50m offer knocked back by Palace for Sarr.
Hughes will have to weigh up whether it is worth going back in with fresh proposals for the pair, knowing full well that their price tags could go up as we get closer to Tuesday’s deadline.
Brighton are notoriously tough negotiators, and they are currently demanding £80m for Minteh. Palace have shown no inclination to sell Sarr, and the forward also has interest from Saudi Arabia, which could further bump up the fee. It leaves the Reds with very little room for manoeuvre if they want to add another winger to the squad.
Want more news on Liverpool? Add Walk On as a preferred source on Google