PSG cashes in again as Ibrahim Mbaye joins Aston Villa as part of a $460 million summer sell-off

PARIS (AP) — Two-time European champion Paris Saint-Germain sold yet another player on transfer deadline day, with Ibrahim Mbaye joining Aston Villa as the French club continues its metamorphosis from big spender to big earner.

The Senegal forward joined on a permanent transfer, both clubs said.

PSG has been the European club generating the highest transfer revenues from departures this summer, with a total of more than 400 million euros ($464 million), ahead of Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Manchester City.

PSG parted ways with a big name — France forward Bradley Barcola — in the biggest signing of the summer transfer window, but has only sold players who were used in a substitute role by coach Luis Enrique, a deliberate strategy of the club.

The 18-year-old Mbaye, a product of PSG youth academy, has 15 caps with Senegal and became the youngest African player to score at the World Cup this summer in a 3-1 defeat against France. Two years ago, he also was the youngest PSG player to make his Ligue 1 debut, aged just 16 years, six months and 23 days.

Mbaye won eight trophies with PSG, including two Champions League titles, two European Super Cups and two French League titles.

In addition to the 145 million euros ($166 million) earned with the Barcola deal, PSG sold Mbaye in a transfer package valued up to 60 million euros ($69 million). PSG also offloaded defender Noham Kamara, South Korea midfielder Lee Kang-In, striker Randal Kolo Muani and Portugal forward Gonçalo Ramos.

After more than a decade during which owners spent lavishly to attract big names such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi and Neymar, PSG has changed its approach since the arrival of coach Luis Enrique. After the departure of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid in 2024, he asked for the recruitment of lesser known but excellent players across the squad to create competition and have second options at every position.

The strategy paid off, with successive Champions League titles.

This summer, PSG earned 400 million euros ($464 million) in player sales while recruiting Ferran Torres, Maghnes Akliouche, Mika Godts, Lucas, Digne and Alessandro Longoni for under 210 million euros ($243 million), generating close to 200 million ($232 million) in capital gains.

PSG said in October last year that it closed the 2024–25 season with record revenues of 837 million euros ($970 million) following its first Champions League title. Since 2011, the year that Qatar Sports Investments took over at PSG, the club’s turnover has increased ninefold.

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