Aston Villa have reached a verbal agreement with Paris Saint-Germain to sign highly rated winger Ibrahim Mbaye in a deal worth around £47m, as Unai Emery continues a ruthless reshaping of his squad.
The 18-year-old, who operates primarily off the right, has been on Villa’s radar for months and now stands on the brink of becoming the latest piece in a rapidly changing frontline. Villa moved decisively after missing out on AC Milan forward Rafa Leao, who is set to join Galatasaray.
Mbaye made 24 Ligue 1 appearances for PSG last season, scoring three times and providing two assists. Raw, quick and direct, he offers exactly the kind of vertical threat Emery wants in wide areas. Liverpool also explored a move for the teenager earlier in the summer but turned their attention to his PSG teammate Bradley Barcola, clearing the path for Villa to close in.
This is not a gentle evolution at Villa Park. It is a full-scale reset.
Emery’s overhaul gathers pace
Villa have already lost Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa and Lucas Digne in a summer of churn that has stripped away much of the side that powered last season’s campaign. Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez also look set to follow, two pillars of Emery’s project suddenly heading for the exit.
The response has been aggressive. Alejandro Garnacho, Johan Manzambi, Leon Goretzka, Joao Gomes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri have all arrived. A deal is in place to sign Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea. Now Mbaye is on the way.
Emery, speaking ahead of Villa’s trip to Arsenal on Monday Night Football, made it clear this is not a fire sale, but a calculated reset.
"We took some decisions because it's good for the club. We tried to compete as good as possible, but some situations are clear," he said. "It's the right way and decision. We don't want to be a club to sell players, but our responsibility is there. For the club it's a good deal.
"It's not changing our priorities to be competitive. We must be the same. Strong development with the players.
"I am confident and positive. The players we are signing are good players. We need to get balance with experience and players with huge potential."
That balance is written all over this window: established names like Goretzka and Wan-Bissaka alongside emerging talents such as Garnacho, Manzambi and now Mbaye.
Emery has lived this cycle before — build, sell, rebuild — and he knows the turbulence it brings.
"Of course, I want to keep some players, the ones who help us to be successful. But I accept it because I have experience before in the same situation.
"I expect to continue to do special and different ways. The objective is to get progressively in the same way. We will need time."
Time, but not hesitation. The decisions are brutal and fast.
Watkins out, Jackson in
The most emotional of those calls came with Ollie Watkins. Emery confirmed the striker’s departure and the imminent arrival of Nicolas Jackson in his press conference.
Watkins, who missed the defeat to Brighton, apologised to the manager, but the move is happening. He is set to join Al Hilal in a £50m deal, closing a prolific chapter at Villa Park.
"Watkins said sorry after Brighton. He made a mistake. He always had good behaviour in the club and with me. He's a fantastic guy. I told him 'bye', with a huge hug and a small cry," Emery admitted.
"Now it's a new chapter with Nicolas Jackson. Of course, all the best for him in Saudi. We are replacing him."
Villa have agreed a £65m deal for Jackson, with only the final formalities left after his medical on Thursday. Emery wants him available as soon as possible.
Jackson signed in time to play Monday? "Hopefully."
If Jackson is the new spearhead, Mbaye is being lined up as the runner off his shoulder, the wide outlet to stretch games and punish high lines. For a club that once leaned heavily on Watkins’ work-rate and Martinez’s presence, Villa are morphing into something leaner, younger, and more unpredictable.
The money coming in is significant. The money going out is even bigger. The question now is simple: can Emery weld this new, volatile mix into a side that not only survives the upheaval, but climbs higher than the one he has just dismantled?
