Liverpool's First Move for Ibrahim Mbaye as Salah's Void Grows
Liverpool’s rebuild has been noisy, restless and still strangely incomplete. Three new faces are already through the door, yet the squad that limped through last season still looks short of the firepower needed to chase major trophies again.
The biggest hole, of course, glares from the right wing.
Mohamed Salah has gone, and with him the guarantee of goals, chaos and sheer inevitability. You don’t just “replace” the Egyptian King. Even in a stuttering campaign, he still produced 22 goal contributions in all competitions. That kind of output doesn’t quietly disappear; it leaves a crater.
Liverpool have looked at options. Victor Munoz, Federico Chiesa and Jeremie Frimpong can all operate off the right, at least on paper. But that’s exactly the problem: it’s theoretical cover, not a clear, long-term heir to Salah’s role. The attack still feels one piece short.
Now the club appear ready to move on a name that has been circling Anfield’s rumour mill for weeks.
First offer for Mbaye on the way
French journalist Loic Tanzi has reported on his personal X account that “Liverpool should send a first offer to Paris for Ibrahim Mbaye in the coming days.”
No fanfare from the club yet. No announcement. Just the first hint that Liverpool are about to test Paris Saint-Germain’s resolve.
If they do, it would mark a decisive step in reshaping the frontline.
Mbaye is only 18, but the numbers already jump off the page. Across his young career, the winger has scored 19 goals, an impressive return for a teenager still learning the trade. On the international stage, he has already broken into the Senegal setup, with 15 caps and four goals for his country. That’s not promise in theory; that’s production under real pressure.
He doesn’t arrive as a Salah clone. Nobody does. But he does bring something Liverpool badly need: a natural right‑winger with end product and room to grow.
Why Mbaye fits Liverpool’s puzzle
Strip away the noise and the logic behind Liverpool’s interest is clear.
The squad’s depth was brutally exposed last season. Certain positions still boast quality, but the overall level fell short of a genuine title challenge. Too many performances drifted. Too many games relied on individuals rather than a coherent, ruthless unit.
Signing Mbaye wouldn’t fix everything overnight. It would, though, start to rebalance a frontline that has been leaning on stopgaps and tactical compromises since Salah’s departure.
His profile ticks several boxes. He’s already shown maturity in big moments for Senegal. He scores, he affects games, and he does it from the exact area of the pitch where Liverpool are thinnest.
There’s also a strategic angle. Because of his age, by the time Mbaye needs to be formally registered for Liverpool’s Premier League squad, he will qualify as homegrown. That status has become a real headache for the club, with squad registration limits tightening options in the market. Mbaye would ease that pressure while still offering high upside on the pitch.
Then comes the other key factor: Paris Saint‑Germain are open to moving him on. That alone turns a smart idea into a realistic opportunity. A talented, international-level teenager, available from a club willing to sell, in a position Liverpool urgently need to strengthen – it’s the kind of deal top sporting departments are built to spot.
And crucially, he’s a specialist on the right, not another forward being nudged into an unfamiliar lane.
Liverpool’s summer has already been busy. But if the first bid for Ibrahim Mbaye does land in Paris in the coming days, this could be the move that finally gives their attack a new shape – and their post‑Salah era a clearer identity.
