Aston Villa Complete Double Signing Of Mbaye, Harwood-Bellis

Unai Emery, Aston Villa's manager, has successfully secured the signatures of two new players, Ibrahim Mbaye and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, bolstering the squad. The Senegalese winger Mbaye, 18, joined from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee of €55 million, while the English defender Harwood-Bellis arrived from Southampton in a deal potentially worth £29 million.

The 24-year-old center-back paid the club an initial £25 million, with an additional £4 million available in potential add-ons. Mbaye had a standout season with PSG, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 31 appearances as the French club claimed both the Ligue 1 and Champions League titles. He also made an impact in Senegal's 2026 World Cup campaign, scoring in their 3-1 defeat to France, making him the youngest African player to score at a men's World Cup.

Born in France, Mbaye represented Les Bleus at youth level before switching to Senegal in 2025 through his father. Harwood-Bellis, who developed through Manchester City's academy, moved to Southampton permanently for £20 million in 2024 following an impressive loan spell. He helped Burnley win the Championship in 2022-23 and played a crucial role in Southampton's promotion through the play-offs in 2023-24.

Mbaye's signing follows Arsenal's £55 million acquisition of Ezri Konsa, and he is set to bolster Villa's defense alongside other recent arrivals such as Alejandro Garnacho, Johan Manzambi, and Nicolas Jackson. The club has spent approximately £280 million during the summer transfer window, while also generating more than £313 million from player sales.

Their biggest departures include Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for £117 million and Ollie Watkins to Al-Hilal for £51 million.