Liverpool have reportedly been offered the chance to sign a Champions League-winning forward who’s won the acclaim of Anfield icon Sadio Mane.
The Reds have been strongly linked with a move for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola throughout the summer transfer window, but the European champions are determined to keep hold of the 23-year-old, as suggested by his frightening price tag of €170m (£145.2m, via Ben Jacobs).
One of his fellow attackers at the Parc des Princes might be more readily available, though, and the Reds may be in an ideal position to bring him to Anfield if they so wish.
According to Graeme Bailey for TEAMtalk, PSG winger Ibrahim Mbaye has been offered to Liverpool and Manchester City, with a ‘growing belief within the player’s entourage’ that an exit from Paris ‘would be the best decision for his long-term development’.
Recruitment staff at Anfield are believed to have tracked the 18-year-old’s progress closely and have been assessing numerous wide attacking options following Mo Salah’s exit two months ago, although the teenager isn’t viewed as a primary transfer target among the Reds’ hierarchy.
Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust
Mbaye has already racked up 42 first-team appearances for PSG despite only turning 18 earlier this year, although most of those have come as a substitute, with Luis Enrique boasting formidable attacking riches at his disposal.
The teenager was also in the Senegal squad which won the Africa Cup of Nations final in January before CAF overturned the result and awarded the trophy to Morocco, and then-head coach Pape Thiaw hailed him as a ‘phenomenon’ (GIVEMESPORT).
National team colleague Mane has also sung the youngster’s praises, describing him as an ‘exceptional’ player with a ‘bright future ahead of him’ (RTK). That endorsement from the ex-Liverpool favourite is sure to resonate with Reds supporters.
Mbaye has the makings of being a terrific addition to any club who may wish to sign him, but right now Andoni Iraola needs wingers who can come in and instantly raise the level of our attack, rather than bringing in yet more potential for a few years’ time.
We wouldn’t necessarily say no to the PSG teenager, but Liverpool have a greater need for proven quality such as Barcola or Maghnes Akliouche, and Richard Hughes has five weeks to address that gap in the starting XI before the transfer window shuts.
Welcome to our Live Comments section, where new comments will appear automatically
This begins to be looking like the traditional and very common mistake made by LFC year after year. Be offered a splendid player but refuse ( too young, too unlearned etc. etc.) even too cheap. Then the next season after the players moves elsewhere LFC scramble to pay sky-high prices to get the player! Makes me wonder do we really have scouts being paid to be ignored. This will happen with Mbaye – he will come to England ( around £35/40m) and next season LFC will rush to pay an inflated amount to get him. It happens time after time…
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
Notify me of new posts by email.
