According to a source familiar with the negotiations, Kylian Mbappe has received a record-breaking 300 million euro ($333 million) offer from Paris Saint-Germain, according to AFP on Monday.
According to the source, a number of other teams have showed interest in signing the most potent forward in world football, including Real Madrid, which is widely believed to be leading the race.
The source claimed that Al Hilal had made a formal offer via letter, but that such a transfer could only take place with Mbappe’s consent since he has never shown interest in joining the rapidly expanding Saudi league.
Al Hilal has been granted permission by the club to speak with Mbappe. That was the letter’s request, and it was granted, the PSG source added.
Riyadh-based Al Hilal is one of the few clubs that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia owns.
This summer, they already acquired central defensemen Ruben Neves from Wolves and Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea.
The 24-year-old Mbappe has one year left on his PSG contract, and the club prefers that he go now rather than for nothing in the next summer.
However, Mbappe is steadfastly refusing to sign a new agreement, and the French champions are convinced that he has already agreed to a free transfer to Real Madrid for the upcoming season.
Change in tactics
Manchester United, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Tottenham, and obviously the Saudi club and Real Madrid are among the groups who have so far showed interest.
Real’s offer seems to indicate a shift in strategy for the 13-time European champions, who sought to get Mbappe last year but were unsuccessful before he decided to remain with PSG along with Neymar and the recently-departed Lionel Messi.
It is widely believed that Real intended to sign Mbappe for free the following season, luring him with an enormous signing fee so they wouldn’t have to compensate PSG in any way.
When they left him out of their team to tour Japan and South Korea, the French club’s conflict with Mbappe reached a new high.
There have been rumors that if Mbappe cannot work out a deal with PSG, he won’t be chosen for a full season.
Mbappe, who has scored 212 goals in 260 games for the club, is still the second-most expensive player in history, just behind his PSG teammate Neymar.
In August 2017, he transferred from Monaco to PSG on a season-long loan while still a youngster.
Mbappe, who has scored 212 goals in 260 games for the club, is still the second-most expensive player in history, just behind his PSG teammate Neymar.
In August 2017, he transferred from Monaco to PSG on a season-long loan while still a youngster.
The next year, in a 180 million euro transfer, the shift became permanent.
Only Neymar, a Brazilian who paid PSG 222 million euros in 2017, commands a higher price.
Messi, the third superstar from PSG, joined MLS team Inter Miami at the close of the previous campaign.
Despite winning the French championship, the trio was unable to stop PSG from being eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich in the last 16 stage last season.