Liverpool have suffered another blow in the race for a transfer target, with Paris Saint-Germain winger Ibrahim Mbaye now close to joining Aston Villa.

The Reds had identified Mbaye as a possible addition earlier in the window, but PSG’s asking price quickly became a stumbling block. Liverpool were unwilling to match the valuation of the 18-year-old, leaving the door open for a rival to step in.

Villa have done exactly that. According to The Athletic, they have reached an agreement in principle after submitting a $63.8 million (€55 million, £47.1 million) bid. The report also points to the relationship between PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Villa chairman Nassef Sawiris as a key factor behind the deal.

Mbaye’s rise has been rapid. Since joining the club’s academy in 2018, he has made 42 senior appearances for the reigning European champions and delivered eight goal contributions. The Senegal international also featured at the 2026 World Cup, underlining the level of attention he has already attracted at such a young age.

There was some encouragement for Liverpool supporters on Thursday, when reports said the club had agreed a $163 million (£120 million) deal with PSG for Bradley Barcola. That fee is understood to include $135 million (£100 million) up front, with the remainder tied to performance-related add-ons.

Even so, that development does not solve Liverpool’s wider problem on the right wing. Barcola prefers to play on the left, leaving the club’s search for a successor to Mohamed Salah unresolved.

The list of names linked with the role has already been extensive, with Liverpool moving from Maghnes Akliouche to Ismaïla Sarr, and also considering Mbaye and Yankuba Minteh. With the Sept. 1 deadline getting closer, there is still no clear indication of who, if anyone, will arrive.

Other possibilities remain, including Lille’s Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Porto’s William Gomes, Bournemouth’s Rayan, Chelsea’s Pedro Neto, Juventus’s Francisco Conceição and Club Brugge’s Carlos Forbs. None, however, appears to offer a simple solution.

For Villa, the move would ease pressure on Unai Emery after a difficult spell that has seen him lose much of his Europa League-winning side from 2025-26. He also delivered an emotional farewell to Ollie Watkins in his Friday news conference after confirming the pair had made up following his decision to make himself unavailable to play on the opening day of the season.

Michael Carrick has outlined a cautious timeline for Carlos Baleba’s Manchester United debut, saying the new summer signing could be ready before the September international break despite an ankle problem.

United had been in the market for Baleba last summer, but Brighton’s £100 million valuation at the time made a deal unrealistic. The midfielder’s price later fell after a less consistent 2025-26 campaign on the south coast, allowing United to land a player they had tracked for some time.

For now, though, supporters will have to wait. Baleba will not be involved against Ipswich Town this weekend, with Carrick explaining that the Cameroon international arrived carrying an ankle issue that should keep him out for another couple of weeks.

“He’s got a little ankle issue,” Carrick told reporters. “So, maybe a couple of weeks or so [until he debuts], maybe three weeks, we’ll see. But we knew that before, so it’s no major issue. It’ll be great to have him back when we can.”

When asked whether Baleba could feature before the break, which begins on Sept. 21, Carrick kept the message measured. “It’s obviously new, you know, having the break to deal with. But we’ll wait and see. We’ll wait and see. We’re hopeful, but I don’t want to put any deadlines on it just yet.”

United’s opening league outing offered little encouragement. A trip to newly-promoted Hull City looked manageable on paper, but the performance was poor and ended in a 2-0 defeat at the MKM Stadium.

Santos and Tielemans, making their competitive debuts, both struggled before being replaced in the 67th minute. Baleba’s energy and defensive edge might have helped, but he will instead be introduced to the Old Trafford crowd when fit.

The broader concern is familiar enough for United. Second matches have often been problematic in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, and the club have not won their second Premier League game of a season since a 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in 2020-21.

Liverpool are closing in on one of the summer’s most drawn-out deals, with Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola approaching a move to Anfield. The transfer is not yet complete, and complications could still appear, but the 23-year-old is already being viewed as a major attacking addition after two Champions League-winning seasons with PSG.

For Liverpool, the key issue is not whether Barcola can help, but where he should play. The France international has long looked most effective on the left, and that is where he is expected to operate if the move goes through. He has the pace, directness and final-third threat Liverpool have lacked since Luis Díaz departed, and there is a clear argument that he is the closest thing to Mohamed Salah’s long-term successor in spirit.

That does not mean he should be pushed into Salah’s old role on the right. Liverpool do not need to buy a player of Barcola’s calibre and then move him away from the zone that best suits him. Playing him out of position would only limit what he offers. Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and Victor Muñoz would all see their preferred minutes affected, but the priority must be getting the new signing into his strongest area.

Andoni Iraola will be expected to build around him. Barcola can stretch the pitch, take up advanced positions, and drift into half-spaces on the far side of the opposition right-back. He will also be asked to work hard without the ball, just as he did under Luis Enrique at PSG, but with possession he should have the freedom to create. With no natural right winger in the squad, Liverpool are likely to lean heavily to the left, especially with Wirtz also drifting that way.

The numbers support the excitement. In Ligue 1 last season, Barcola ranked third for combined expected goals and expected assists per 90, and 12th for successful dribbles and shots per match. Across all competitions, he delivered 21 goal involvements. Liverpool should resist any temptation to send him right. Doing so would blunt his best qualities.