Mbappe now closer than ever to Real Madrid transfer after chaotic PSG summer
Somehow, at the closure of the transfer windows in Europe and Saudi Arabia, Kylian Mbappe is still a Paris Saint-Germain player.
The forward looked primed for a move away this summer after a very public falling out with the club. He at first refused to sign a new deal with PSG, whilst he was then banished from first-team training and was not given a place on their pre-season tour.
His future still remains uncertain with less than a year left on his current deal. However, following the the closure of windows around the world over the past week, he actually has a little bit more clarity over what the next year could hold for him.
The club most strongly linked with Mbappe over the last few seasons has been Spanish giants Real Madrid. Los Blancos have never attempted to hide their admiration of the French forward in the past.
They even came close to signing him on a free transfer in 2022, only for Mbappe to perform a dramatic u-turn and pen a new contract with PSG, leaving Madrid chief Florentino Perez furious in the process. Things have since been smoothed over but after already signing Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund this summer, a renewed attempt to sign him looked tricky.
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However, their options are now clear and there are a few ways that they could go about signing him sooner rather than later. Firstly, they could move for him as a free agent.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi is attempting to convince Kylian Mbappe to sign a new contract (Getty Images)Where will Kylian Mbappe be next season? Share your thoughts in the comments below
Mbappe would be available to put pen to paper on a pre-contract with any foreign clubs in January. PSG would be powerless to stop him from agreeing terms with Real and it seems unlikely he will agree to another new contract in the French capital despite Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s best attempts.
Speaking on deadline day, the club’s president said: “There are just 24 hours left [of the transfer window]. Kylian is a PSG player. We are having very good discussions with him, he is a magnificent player, person and professional. We have discussed with the rest of his family.”
Alternatively, the Spanish giants could attempt to engage in negotiations with PSG in January in an effort to secure his services six months early. Given that the January window represents their last real opportunity to receive a considerable amount for his services, the reigning French champions might be open to cashing in.
A number of Real players have already thrown their weight behind a potential move. Spanish defender Dani Carvajal has admitted that he thought Mbappe was on his way to the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer and has left the door ajar to a future switch.
Speaking to Sergio Santos, he said: “I thought Mbappé was coming to Real Madrid. We were asking the French players: ‘Hey, does this guy tell you anything?'”
The right-back added: “I thought he was coming. At the moment he did not travel to the Japan tour. At the moment when he was out of the tour, we saw his signing close. Then it seems that everything twisted a little and did not come. Let’s see… He’s one of the best and the best have to play for Real Madrid.”
Florentino Perez was previously left furious by Kylian Mbappe's Real Madrid u-turn (Getty Images)Elsewhere, Brazilian forward Endrick - who has already agreed to sign for Real - is keen to see Mbappe move to Madrid. "Playing with Vini [Vinicius Jr.] and Mbappe would be wonderful,” he said.
“They’re both spectacular and I would be really happy to play with such big players. He’s (Mbappe) a baller. He is way above the rest. He is decisive, spectacular, super fast, and he dribbles better now."
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Whilst Real appear to be the frontrunners for his services, there could be competition - none least from the Saudi Pro League. Clubs over in the Gulf State have moved for a host of big names over the past few months including the 2018 World Cup winner.
Al-Hilal made a £257m bid to PSG to sign the forward earlier this summer, only for Mbappe himself to rebuff talks. Hilal, and their Saudi counterparts for that matter, find themselves in a similar position to Real Madrid should they make another attempt to sign him.
They have the chance to swoop for his services on a free transfer from January, whilst they no doubt have the funds to try and tempt PSG into a sale in just four months’ time. Whether Mbappe would have changed his mind and would then be interested in a switch to Saudi Arabia at that time remains to be seen.
It’s clear that there are still some questions for Mbappe and his representatives to answer regarding his future destination but there is no doubting that the potential routes to a decision are clearer than ever before.
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