Liverpool Close In on PSG Pair as Agreement Reached with Ibrahim Mbaye

Liverpool are advancing plans for a significant attacking reinforcement this summer after reaching an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain forward Ibrahim Mbaye, while continuing their pursuit of his club-mate Bradley Barcola. The developments come during what has otherwise been a relatively quiet transfer window for the Reds as new head coach Andoni Iraola prepares for the 2026/27 season.

The club has already seen several senior players depart as free agents, including Mohamed Salah, Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson. In response, Liverpool have brought in Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Munoz and Ronald Araujo, the latter on a season-long loan. With those defensive and squad additions secured, attention has turned towards strengthening the forward line before the transfer deadline next month.

Progress on Dual Pursuit from Paris

Bradley Barcola has been linked with a move to Anfield throughout the summer. PSG initially resisted the interest and placed a valuation of around £145 million on the 23-year-old winger in an effort to deter suitors. That stance has softened following the arrivals of Maghnes Akliouche and Mika Godts at the French club. Sources indicate that PSG’s asking price for Barcola has since been revised downwards to approximately £120 million.

Ibrahim Mbaye, an 18-year-old forward, has emerged as a more recent target. According to Fabrice Hawkins, Liverpool have already settled personal terms with the teenager and agreed the outline of a five-year contract. Although Bayer Leverkusen had also shown interest, Mbaye is understood to have set aside any possibility of a move to the Bundesliga once Liverpool made their position clear. The Reds now intend to open formal negotiations with PSG over a transfer fee for the young attacker.

Reports from TEAMtalk suggest Mbaye could command a sum between £30 million and £45 million. When placed alongside the projected £120 million valuation for Barcola, the combined outlay could approach £165 million. There remains scope for that total to be reduced if the two clubs agree a package deal covering both players.

Potential Outgoings Still Under Discussion

While the focus has shifted towards incoming talent, Liverpool are also managing possible departures. Cody Gakpo’s future has been the subject of ongoing speculation. Despite signing a contract extension last year that runs until 2030, the 27-year-old Netherlands international has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur. Personal terms between Gakpo and the London club are believed to have been agreed, leaving the two clubs to negotiate a transfer fee. Should Roberto De Zerbi wish to bring him to north London, Spurs may need to meet a valuation of up to £70 million.

Curtis Jones is another player who could leave before the deadline. Inter Milan have been credited with interest, though any move would depend on the Italian side matching Liverpool’s £34 million asking price. Jones has less than twelve months remaining on his current deal, a factor that may influence the scale of any eventual transaction.

Strategic Context Under Iraola

The dual interest in Barcola and Mbaye reflects a desire to add pace, technical quality and long-term potential to the attacking options available to Iraola. Barcola has established himself as a versatile wide forward capable of operating on either flank, while Mbaye is regarded as one of the more promising young talents to have emerged from the PSG academy in recent seasons. Securing both would represent a substantial financial commitment, yet it would also signal clear ambition in a window that has so far been defined more by squad turnover than by marquee arrivals.

Liverpool’s approach appears methodical. By first addressing areas vacated by departing senior players and only then turning to high-value attacking targets, the club has sought to maintain balance. The agreement on personal terms with Mbaye provides a foundation for the next phase of talks with PSG. Parallel discussions over Barcola will determine whether a double deal can be completed before the window closes.

Timing and Remaining Negotiations

With the transfer deadline approaching, the coming weeks will be decisive. Liverpool must agree fees that satisfy PSG while remaining within their own financial parameters. The French club’s recent reinforcements have given them greater flexibility over Barcola’s future, yet they are under no obligation to sell at a discount. Any package arrangement would need to reflect the differing experience levels and market values of the two players.

On the outgoing side, the situations of Gakpo and Jones remain fluid. A substantial offer for Gakpo could test Liverpool’s willingness to part with a player still contracted for several years. Jones’s shorter remaining term gives Inter a degree of leverage, though the Reds’ valuation suggests they are not prepared to sell without appropriate compensation.

The overall picture is one of measured activity rather than wholesale change. Departures of established names have been offset by targeted incomings, and the pursuit of two PSG forwards now sits at the centre of Liverpool’s remaining summer business. Whether both deals can be concluded will depend on the outcome of negotiations that are only just beginning in earnest. For Iraola, the addition of fresh attacking options would provide further tools as he looks to shape the side according to his own preferences in the campaign ahead.

As matters stand, the agreement with Mbaye represents concrete progress. The more complex and expensive pursuit of Barcola continues in parallel. Together they form the most significant strand of Liverpool’s transfer activity in a window that has otherwise been defined by the need to replace experienced departures and maintain competitiveness. The coming days will show whether the double deal can be turned from ambition into completed business.