Manchester City have joined Aston Villa in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Ibrahim Mbaye.
PSG are willing to let the 18-year-old go this summer if they receive between £34m and £43m, as the reigning European champions already have a star-studded front line.
However, despite his age, Mbaye is already starting to make an impact in PSG’s first team, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 24 Ligue 1 games last season, earning him great praise from former scout Ben Mattinson.
“Next to Mayuru is Ibrahim Mbaye. He is two years younger but has already broken into the team. A direct winger who can play on either wing and changes the game. Not only is he the type to play against players often, but he also has decent through passes. Mbaye has tremendous pace and can quickly pull away from his markers.”
The youngster primarily played as a right-winger during his time at PSG, but Man City may need to strengthen this position as Tottenham Hotspur continue to negotiate a deal with Savinho.
Bernardo Silva has already left the Etihad Stadium to join Real Madrid, further increasing the need for new manager Enzo Maresca to strengthen his attacking options.
Ibrahim Mbaye’s stance on leaving PSG this summer
Journalist Santi Awuna has reported that Mbaye wants to leave PSG this summer, with Man City joining previous favorites Tottenham Hotspur and Villa in the race to sign him.
A deal could be finalized as PSG have room to raise funds, but competition is expected from “several major European clubs” including Borussia Dortmund.
Football Fancast Verdict | |
|---|---|
reliability | Foote Mercato’s Santi Auna broke the news that Man City are interested in Mbaye, and he is a respected transfer reporter, giving the news credibility. Sabinho played just 821 minutes in the Premier League last season, so Maresca might be wise to cash in this summer. |
finances | A price tag of £60m has been suggested for Savinho, which would be more than enough to fund a transfer for the PSG winger, who is valued at between £34m and £43m. |
insight | In addition to his breakthrough at club level, the Senegalese forward has already started to make an impact for his country, scoring four goals in 15 caps. At the World Cup, he scored a goal in Senegal’s opening game, a 3-1 defeat against France. |
impact | Mbaye is a right winger in a trade, so he could potentially replace Sabinho. However, considering that PSG’s ace is still a teenager, he may not become a regular player right away, and there is a possibility that he will be used in the same way as Antoine Semenyo. |
Man City also keen to sign statement striker
City are not satisfied with just strengthening their right flank and are also looking to sign a new striker. Negotiations are underway over the contract of Bayern Munich star and England captain Harry Kane.
Kane’s future is in doubt as he only has one year left on his contract with Bayern, but the German side are confident that he will extend his stay at the Allianz Arena.
