Aston Villa is on the verge of signing striker Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris Saint-Germain.
The Villans had previously recognized Mbaye as a promising target before last season concluded, following his development at PSG.
Despite bringing in Tammy Abraham as a backup to Ollie Watkins in January, they are still in the hunt for another center forward.
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Mbaye has quickly risen to prominence as one of Europe’s top teenage strikers, drawing interest from many elite clubs.
The 18-year-old is already a key player for Senegal and is anticipated to be featured in this summer’s World Cup.
He made his first-team debut for PSG in 2024, becoming their youngest player to start a match.
However, he has faced challenges in securing regular playing time, making 31 appearances across all competitions last season, yet starting only 11 of those matches.
Mbaye’s chances for more playtime may diminish next season, as PSG is actively pursuing a new striker. They have been reportedly interested in Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi.
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Joining Villa might present similar obstacles, as Watkins and Abraham’s experience and skill place them ahead of him in the lineup.
Villa is also evaluating a potential acquisition of PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, a move likely contingent on Emiliano Martinez’s future, with the goalkeeper being pursued by Juventus.
Chevalier joined PSG the previous summer as a replacement for Gianluigi Donnarumma, who moved to Manchester City.
The French goalkeeper’s performance has been inconsistent, leading to him being replaced by Matvey Safonov.
In addition, Villa is looking into a transfer for Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford.