Manchester City have identified Paris Saint-Germain winger Ibrahim Mbaye as a summer target, but Enzo Maresca’s side will have to fend off interest from two Premier League rivals to get a deal done.
According to French outlet Foot Mercato, City have registered their interest in the 18-year-old Senegal international. The teenager enjoyed a breakthrough World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada this summer.
However, both Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are also working on potential moves for him, setting up a fierce battle for his signature before the transfer window closes.
City’s interest comes at a time when Brazilian forward Savinho’s long-term future at the Etihad Stadium looks increasingly shaky.
The 21-year-old endured a stop-start campaign last season, hampered by dips in form and a string of fitness issues that restricted him to just seven Premier League starts.
Reports suggest City would be willing to let him leave this summer should a club match their valuation, and freeing up a forward slot appears to have accelerated the club’s search for a like-for-like — or perhaps more dynamic — alternative.
Mbaye’s World Cup exploits have turned heads
Mbaye’s stock has risen sharply over the past month. He featured in four of Senegal’s matches at the World Cup.
He produced a moment that will live long in the country’s football history, scoring a stunning goal against France in the group stage.
That strike made him the youngest player ever to score for Senegal at a World Cup, and it announced him to a global audience as one of the standout young attackers of the tournament.
Domestically, his breakthrough has been more gradual. Mbaye made 31 appearances in all competitions for PSG last season. He contributed three goals and two assists — solid rather than spectacular numbers for a player still learning his trade in Ligue 1’s most demanding environment.
But those figures undersell his potential. Comfortable operating on either flank, Mbaye has built a reputation as an explosive, direct runner with the close control and confidence to beat defenders one-on-one, attributes that would slot neatly into City’s attacking system.
For City, the appeal is obvious. The club has long favoured wide players capable of drifting inside, carrying the ball at pace and creating overloads. Mbaye’s profile — youthful, technically gifted and already tested on the biggest stage — fits that mould.
Signing him now, before a big-money move becomes unaffordable, would also represent the kind of forward-thinking business City have built their transfer strategy around in recent years.
Competition intensifying as more clubs join the race
Yet City are far from alone in recognising Mbaye’s talent. Tottenham have been watching him for some time, while Aston Villa’s interest reportedly runs deeper still.
Beyond the Premier League, Bundesliga sides RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund have also entered the conversation. Both clubs have a track record of giving teenage prospects regular first-team football — an argument that could prove persuasive to a player only just starting out.
That competition means City cannot expect a straightforward path to a deal, even with their financial muscle and continental pedigree.
PSG, for their part, will be reluctant to let a player of Mbaye’s promise go cheaply, particularly after his World Cup performances.
Any move is therefore likely to require patience, negotiation, and potentially a fee that reflects his rising stock rather than his still-modest club output.
