Aston Villa have finalized the transfers of two new players: Senegalese winger Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and English defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis from Southampton. Mbaye, just 18 years old, has joined Villa for a reported 55 million euros (£47 million), while Harwood-Bellis could cost up to £29 million. Villa have already paid an initial £25 million for the 24-year-old defender, with an additional £4 million in potential add-ons, after previous offers were turned down. Mbaye had a standout season with PSG, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 31 games across all competitions as the club defended their Ligue 1 and Champions League titles. He also made his international debut with Senegal, playing in all four of their matches at the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, including scoring a goal against France. Born in France, Mbaye represented the French youth teams before switching to Senegal in 2025, qualifying through his father. He joined PSG in 2018 from a local club and made his senior debut at age 16 in August 2024. Harwood-Bellis, a product of Manchester City’s youth system, joined Southampton in 2024 for £20 million after a successful loan spell. He helped Burnley win promotion to the Championship in 2022-23 and was key in Southampton’s play-off victory to return to the Premier League in 2023-24. However, Southampton were recently involved in the Spygate scandal, which led to a four-point deduction for the current season. Harwood-Bellis also faced criticism for a gesture during a play-off match, for which he later apologized. Aston Villa has spent approximately £280 million this summer, with Mbaye and Harwood-Bellis joining on deadline day. The club has already broken its transfer record twice, signing forwards Johan Manzambi and Nicolas Jackson for £52 million and £65 million, respectively. Harwood-Bellis is expected to replace Ezri Konsa, who moved to Arsenal for £55 million. While Villa has raised over £313 million from player sales, including Morgan Rogers to Chelsea and Ollie Watkins to Al-Hilal, they are also facing financial challenges. Villa have exceeded UEFA’s spending limits, which restrict clubs to using 70% of their revenue for wages, transfers, and agent fees. They were fined £19.4 million in June, with part of the penalty suspended. Despite this, the club has continued to spend heavily, bringing in players like Leon Goretzka on a free transfer and others at significant costs. Unai Emery, the manager, has stated he is satisfied with the club’s transfer activity, though he acknowledges the unexpected depth of change at the club as several key players have left.