Ibrahim Mbaye and Bradley Barcola—Paris Saint-Germain forwards aged 18 and 23, respectively, and under professional contract until 2028—are set to leave this summer. This situation is expected to be reflected in the squad traveling to Rennes this Sunday for the Ligue 1 season opener. According to Onze Mondial, both players will be left out of the squad, just as they were against Lens for the Trophée des Champions.
“According to our information, young Ibrahim Mbaye and Bradley Barcola will not be among the Parisian players traveling to Brittany, as they have been in talks regarding a departure for several weeks. Just as was the case against Lens for the Trophée des Champions, both players are being left out for the return of Ligue 1 action.”
Against Lens, Barcola and Mbaye were included in the traveling squad to Stade Bollaert but did not make the matchday lineup. This time, they are not even expected to be in the stands. This makes sense, as there is no point risking an injury that could disrupt transfer negotiations—especially given that PSG has significantly bolstered its attack. Having signed last Saturday, Mika Godts (21-year-old forward) and Ferran Torres (26-year-old forward) are expected to be present and ready to play.
It remains to be seen whether a move will actually materialize for Mbaye and Barcola. One hopes so, as having two players who are “outside the project” lingering in the squad would be problematic; it poses a genuine risk to team cohesion. Interested clubs—Liverpool, in particular—might try to leverage this situation.
