Aston Villa finalized their summer rebuild on transfer deadline day by bringing in Senegal international Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris St-Germain and English defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Southampton, adding to what has already been a whirlwind window under manager Unai Emery.
The 18-year-old Mbaye moves to Villa Park for a reported fee of 55 million euros, roughly £47m, making him one of the most expensive teenage signings of the window. Born in France, Mbaye came through PSG's academy after joining from FC Versailles 78 in 2018 and made his first-team debut in August 2024 at just 16 years old. He went on to feature in 31 matches across all competitions last season, contributing three goals and two assists as PSG completed a double of retaining both the Ligue 1 title and the Champions League.
Mbaye represented France at youth level before switching allegiance to Senegal in 2025 through his father's heritage. That decision paid off on the international stage, as he appeared in all four of Senegal's fixtures at the 2026 World Cup and scored during a 3-1 loss to France, becoming the youngest African player ever to score at a men's World Cup finals.
His arrival continues a trend of attacking reinforcements at Villa Park this summer, joining fellow new faces Alejandro Garnacho, Johan Manzambi and Nicolas Jackson in Emery's revamped forward line.
At the other end of the pitch, Villa also secured the signing of centre-back Harwood-Bellis, 24, in a deal that could be worth up to £29m including add-ons. The transfer follows two previously rejected offers from Villa, with an initial £25m fee agreed plus a further £4m in potential bonuses.
Harwood-Bellis emerged through Manchester City's academy before joining Southampton permanently for £20m in 2024 following a successful loan spell. He had previously helped Burnley win the Championship title during a 2022-23 loan and was part of the Southampton side promoted via the play-offs in 2023-24. However, his first season in the Premier League with Southampton ended in relegation, and the club's return to the play-off final last term was overshadowed by a