Aston Villa’s transfers have had a habit of coming out of nowhere this summer, and Friday produced another bolt from the blue, as 18-year-old winger Ibrahim Mbaye is expected to complete a £47m move from PSG after the two clubs struck an agreement in principle.
The report from The Athletic came as a surprise given all the speculation in recent days had been around Rafael Leão, 27, who is now set to join Galatasaray. However, Mbaye had been linked to Villa as far back as February and early on in the summer transfer window.
Now, it appears he is on his way to Villa Park, with the club hopeful he will travel to Birmingham on Saturday for a medical.
For all the excitement around Leão, the signing of Mbaye is much more in keeping with their overall transfer strategy of reducing the average age of the squad, as well as addressing their need for a pacey right winger.
The desire for that profile of player had been discussed all summer, but as Villa’s transfers are generally led by Emery, that seemed to take a back seat as they instead signed Alejandro Garnacho and then reportedly pursued Leão at the behest of the manager.
Interestingly, the reports coming out now are that Villa never actually made an offer for Leão, perhaps recognising the finances involved were simply impossible.
Instead they are now closing in on Mbaye, an extremely exciting forward player who is coming over from the European champions and has drawn interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world. Should it be completed, it will be a statement signing for Villa.
A Senegal international, Mbaye has only played 33 Ligue 1 games for PSG, scoring four goals and providing three assists, but has already played 15 times for his country at just 18 years old, scoring four times, including once at the World Cup.
The fee PSG have commanded for a player of such little experience indicates the reputation he has at such a young age. Despite the price tag, he may take some time to settle in the Premier League.
Mbaye will link up with his fellow countryman Nicolas Jackson, as his signing was confirmed on Friday, and completes a new-look forward line for Villa, after the acquisitions of Garnacho and Johan Manzambi earlier this summer.
Between Mbaye, Garnacho, Manzambi, Alysson, George Hemmings and Brian Madjo, Villa now have a whole host of attacking players aged 22 or younger, as they enter a new era following a transfer window filled with high profile outgoings as well as incomings.
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