It was always going to be the impossible job, wasn’t it? Trying to find the heir to Mohamed Salah’s crown at Anfield was never going to happen overnight, no matter how thick the chequebook is.
Yet as the weeks have rolled on this summer, one thing has become glaringly clear inside the corridors of power at Kirkby: Liverpool firmly believe the answer to their attacking puzzle lies in Paris.
While the persistent chatter around Bradley Barcola has dominated group chats and social media feeds all pre-season, the Reds look to have quietly made their move for the Parc des Princes’ other wide sensation.
And this time, the wheels are well and truly turning.
Liverpool have now agreed personal terms on a five-year deal with 18-year-old prodigy Ibrahim Mbaye. Richard Hughes and the recruitment team have done the groundwork on the player’s side now it’s all down to whether Liverpool and PSG can shake hands on a fee to bring one of Europe’s brightest young talents to Merseyside.
According to a report by Fabrice Hawkins of RMC Sport, Liverpool “have reached an agreement” with PSG forward Ibrahim Mbaye over personal terms. Bayer Leverkusen were also interested, but the 18 year old “has made his choice” and wants to move to Merseyside. He goes onto say that the Reds “want to sign both” the Senegalese international and top target Bradley Barcola, so how realistic is that?
? Excl Liverpool have reached an agreement with Ibrahim Mbaye. The two parties have agreed on the financial terms of a five-year contract. Mbaye has made his choice and does not wish to pursue interest from Bayer Leverkusen.
As exclusively revealed by @RMCsport Liverpool want… pic.twitter.com/pnuTq4sXMc
— Fabrice Hawkins (@FabriceHawkins) August 17, 2026
Liverpool remain in direct dialogue with Paris Saint-Germain as they seek to broker an ambitious double deal for Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye before the transfer deadline.
An initial opening proposal from Anfield was formally turned down by the Ligue 1 outfit, but senior figures at the club have maintained talks over the pair, with consultations ongoing regarding the structure of any potential packages.
While an agreement between the two clubs has yet to be finalised, there is an overarching sense within the negotiation process that both players could ultimately make the move to Merseyside, subject to PSG sanctioning their exits.
So, how much would this cost? Well, PSG have been quite insistent that they value Barcola at €150 million, while Mbaye is worth €50 million which, combined, is around £170 million. Having paid over £240 million for Florian Wirtz from Leverkusen and Alexander Isak of Newcastle 12 months ago, the Reds have shown a willingness to spend on attackers, but even so, that would be an enormous outlay.
Given that, why is it expected that this deal will get over the line? Well, Barcola has just two years remaining on his contract with les Rouge-et-Bleu, and does not intend to sign a new one, hence why the European champions believe now is the time to cash in. Neither Barcola nor Mbaye were involved in Sunday night’s Trophée des Champions defeat against Lens at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Neither player was involved in PSG’s Trophee des Champions defeat against Lens on Sunday, with manager Luis Enrique commenting before the match:
“We are a very young, very ambitious team.
“It is important for us to make changes and look for players who enjoy playing our way and who love playing for PSG. That is very clear to us.
Meantime, les Parisiens have already signed Maghnes Akliouche, Ferran Torres and Mika Godts this summer, leaving Luis Enrique with something of a surplus when it comes to attackers.
From Liverpool’s point of view, were both to arrive, this might not be good for Cody Gakpo’s prospects. The Dutch international has been strongly linked with a move to Tottenham, valued at around £70 million.
He may have to depart, not only because Barcola’s potential arrival would see the 27 year old demoted to second-choice left-winger, but also a sale to Spurs would help fund this mass expenditure. With just a fortnight to go in the window, expect Liverpool to be ultra-busy.
