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Al Hilal and Chelsea hope to beat Real Madrid to Kylian Mbappé signing: how much are they willing to pay?
Paris Saint-Germain have left Mbappé out of there pre-season tour of Japan and are ready to sell him this summer.
A new episode of Kylian Mbappé soap opera has begun, with no one quite sure what the script will serve up after a series of twists and turns. Paris Saint-Germain have taken a significant stride towards attempting to sell the player, leaving him out of their pre-season tour of Japan and giving him until 31 July to make a final decision - if it’s not already made - about his future at the club.
Mbappé's PSG ultimatum
Unless the France captain performs a drastic U-turn, he will officially be on the transfer list on 1 August, as he has until the previous day to decide whether to extend his current contract by a year until 2025. That same day, he is also due to receive half of an €80 million ($89 million) loyalty bonus from PSG. But until then, he has been left behind as the Ligue 1 champions head to Asia. Not that it is likely to persuade him to stay.
How much do PSG want for Mbappé?
Several clubs have already shown their interest in Mbappé, in addition to Real Madrid, whose long-standing desire to sign him is well-known. According to French broadcaster RMC Sport, Chelsea are looking at different ways to fund a move, although they haven’t yet made a formal offer to PSG. L’Équipe, however, claim that it is impossible to imagine the forward going anywhere other than Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, to whom money is no obstacle, are also being credited with an interest. The Riyadh-based team are willing to pay Mbappé an eye-watering €400 million (around $445 million) over two seasons, as well as a €200 million transfer fee $225.5 million) to sign him. RMC Sport believe PSG could well be prepared to accept it if the attacker refuses to extend his contract before 31 July.
31 July the key date in the Mbappé saga
In any event, it is Mbappé himself who holds all the cards. Even if the club does reach an agreement with another club, the 24-year-old, who has stated his intention to see out the final year of his deal in Paris, will have the final say. However, reports in France have suggested that he would be more tempted by a more to Real Madrid than Saudi Arabia.
The Mbappé-PSG soap opera continues but could come to an end one way or another on 31 July.