Having been courted by Aston Villa and Tottenham for several weeks, Ibrahim Mbaye has also attracted the interest of Manchester City, who have added his name to their shortlist.
Regarded as one of the greatest prospects in European football and part of the 2008 generation, Ibrahim Mbaye is the subject of intense interest from the continent’s top clubs. We revealed in recent days that the Senegal international (15 caps, 4 goals) was attracting interest from the Premier League. The 18-year-old forward is indeed being tracked by Tottenham and Aston Villa, as he is keen to leave.
His situation and his potential naturally make him a sought-after player, even in Germany. According to our sources, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund – two clubs renowned for developing young players – are interested in the Parisian winger (42 appearances, 4 goals, 4 assists). It is a league that could suit his qualities, given the number of strikers trained in France who have gone on to make their mark across the Rhine.
Manchester City have added him to their shortlist
Although he was largely confined to a supporting role during this World Cup with Senegal, Mbaye still managed to make his mark by making the most of his limited playing time (160 minutes across four matches). It was notably he who sparked the comeback against France (3–1) by leaving Théo Hernandez in his wake, before pulling one back with a powerful strike.
Manchester City had no doubt been aware of the player’s qualities long before this match, but according to our sources, the English club is indeed interested in the Trappes-born player. The English runners-up have added him to their shortlist for this summer, at a time when several departures are expected in the attacking line-up. Bernardo Silva has joined Real Madrid, and the English press recently suggested the possibility of Savinho leaving the club. For their part, Paris Saint-Germain are open to a sale.
OL are going all out for Loïs Openda
In search of a world-class centre-forward to compensate for Endrick’s departure, Olympique Lyonnais are busy behind the scenes. Whilst RC Lens have been working tirelessly for several days to bring Loïs Openda back to France, the Rhône-based club have decided to throw their hat into the ring. With a strong case to make, OL are hoping to snatch the deal and revive the Belgian striker’s career, as he is currently struggling at Juventus.
Lyon’s attack is undergoing a major summer overhaul. With Endrick’s return to Real Madrid, the club’s management finds itself obliged to sign a high-calibre reinforcement to support the talented Rémi Himbert at the forefront of the attack. Matthieu Louis-Jean initially explored several options across the Channel. The cases of Youssef Chermiti (Rangers) and Claudio Braga (Heart of Midlothian) were scrutinised closely, but these two deals, deemed particularly complex, now have very little chance of going through. Faced with this situation, Olympique Lyonnais have decided to snap up a bargain by targeting a familiar face from Ligue 1: Loïs Openda.
The Belgian international’s profile (33 caps) is obviously an attractive prospect, even if his reputation has taken a serious knock in recent months. After literally bursting onto the scene at Lens during the 2022–2023 season (21 goals) and cementing his status as a prolific goalscorer at RB Leipzig (41 goals and 18 assists in 93 matches), the 26-year-old striker is coming off a disastrous season at Juventus. Loaned to the Old Lady last year with a mandatory buy-out clause of €42.5m, Openda found the net just twice in 34 matches. This staggering slump even cost him a place in the 2026 World Cup squad.
OL are very keen on Openda
Today, the Piedmontese club no longer counts on him and is actively seeking to send him out on loan, in the hope that he will get back to his best and regain his market value. This contractual situation is, unsurprisingly, attracting interest. RC Lens has been in the running for quite some time. Jean-Louis Leca is pushing to bring him back to Bollaert, offering a familiar environment and the chance to compete in the Champions League. But the Lens-based club faces a major obstacle: the player’s astronomical salary – tied to Juventus until 2030 – which is completely incompatible with Lens’s wage structure without a financial boost from the Italian club.
It is precisely on this point that OL intends to make the difference. With slightly more financial leeway than the northern club to absorb the striker’s wages, the Rhône-based board – which is set to play in the Champions League play-offs in early August – firmly believes in its chances. Whilst the financial aspect favours Lyon, Matthieu Louis-Jean will still need to be extremely persuasive. Given the player’s emotional attachment to RC Lens and competition from other aggressive European clubs vying for his signature (such as Coventry, who are also in talks with Juventus), the battle is set to be a tough one. The coming days will be decisive in this thrilling game of musical chairs.
