Manchester United Targets Ibrahim Mbaye as Transfer Window Closes

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has laid out his stance for the final stretch of the transfer window, making it clear he expects more business as the club circle Paris Saint-Germain winger Ibrahim Mbaye.

The United manager, preparing for a Champions League return next season, knows his current squad will be stretched. A third-place finish last term restored some pride, but also underlined the gap to the very top and the strain of fighting on several fronts.

United’s summer so far has been steady rather than spectacular. Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans arrived a month ago as part of a midfield reshuffle, while experienced goalkeeper Karl Darlow has come in alongside a clutch of younger prospects. Since then, the market has gone quiet at Old Trafford.

Carrick, though, is not pretending the job is done.

Carrick: “We want more, we need more”

The 42-year-old has been blunt about United’s position and what has to come next.

“We want more, we need more, we keep looking for how we can do that,” he said, underlining that the rebuild is still in motion. “Money's money, I get that.

“We feel like we have to be pushing for everything we're involved in, while being realistic of what the recent history's looked like over a period of time.

“For now, we've got to make the most of it, but we've got to push every boundary we can to be able to win again, basically. That's the challenge.”

That is the tightrope United are walking: a squad that must be competitive immediately, but also rebuilt with some realism after years of mixed recruitment. Carrick’s words leave little doubt that he expects at least one more significant arrival before the window closes.

Mbaye race tilts towards United

One of those targets could be Ibrahim Mbaye, the 18-year-old PSG winger who has drawn interest across Europe. United are among the clubs tracking him as they look to inject more pace and unpredictability into their forward line.

The landscape around Mbaye shifted this week. Liverpool, who are reshaping their attack after Mohamed Salah’s departure, have reportedly stepped back from a move for the teenager. The Merseyside club are instead focusing on Mbaye’s PSG teammate Bradley Barcola as they search for wide options.

That decision could hand United a boost. Liverpool are said to have cooled their interest in Mbaye due to his £42.7m price tag, a figure that reflects both his potential and PSG’s negotiating stance.

For Mbaye, the next step in his career is complicated by the depth of attacking talent already at PSG. Breaking into a forward line packed with established names will not be straightforward, and that reality has alerted clubs who can offer a clearer path to minutes.

United, desperate to deepen their attacking options for a gruelling season, see an opportunity. The question now is whether they are willing to push those “boundaries” Carrick talked about to turn admiration into a concrete bid before the window slams shut.