Liverpool’s Path to Ibrahim Mbaye Clears After Dortmund's El Mala Bid

Liverpool’s pursuit of Ibrahim Mbaye has just been handed a major boost – thanks to a record-breaking bid in Germany that has nothing to do with the Paris Saint-Germain teenager.

Dortmund go all-in on El Mala

Borussia Dortmund, long considered one of Liverpool’s main rivals for Mbaye, have turned their attention firmly towards another of Europe’s standout prospects: Said El Mala.

Sky Germany report, via Florian Plettenberg, that Dortmund have submitted an offer of €55 million to Koln for El Mala. It is a huge statement. If accepted, it would be the biggest transfer fee in Dortmund’s history and make the Koln star their record signing. The teenager has already agreed personal terms, leaving the decision squarely with Koln.

El Mala earned that level of commitment with a superb season in the Bundesliga. He was widely viewed as the league’s second most impressive teenager behind Yan Diomande, his performances for Koln consistently electric even as Diomande soaked up much of the spotlight.

Dortmund see him as a priority. Crucially for Liverpool, that has consequences elsewhere.

Mbaye path clearing for Liverpool

Ibrahim Mbaye, the PSG winger, has been high on Liverpool’s list as they plan for a future beyond Mohamed Salah on the right flank. He is still only a teenager, but his ceiling is obvious: direct, fearless, and technically sharp enough to project to the very top level.

There is also the intriguing potential link-up with Rio Ngumoha, another of the club’s highly regarded young attackers. In terms of long-term succession planning on that right side, few young players in Europe look as tailored to Liverpool’s needs as Mbaye.

Dortmund, unsurprisingly, had also identified him. The Bundesliga side are renowned for turning elite prospects into elite players and viewed Mbaye as another ideal development project. Reports in recent weeks suggested they had pushed themselves alongside Liverpool at the front of the queue.

That is why the El Mala news matters so much at Anfield.

A €55m outlay for one teenage star makes a second major move for another highly rated youngster such as Mbaye extremely unlikely in the same window. If Dortmund land El Mala, the expectation is that they step away from a similar deal for the Senegal talent.

And that, in turn, leaves Liverpool in a commanding position.

With one major rival seemingly ready to commit their resources elsewhere, Liverpool’s route to Mbaye looks clearer than at any point in the saga so far. The deal is not done, but the landscape has shifted decisively in their favour.

If Dortmund’s record bid for El Mala goes through, the next big teenage headline in Europe could easily belong to Liverpool – and to Ibrahim Mbaye.