Kylian Mbappe is reportedly house hunting in Madrid in anticipation of a dream move to the Spanish capital this summer. It was initially thought that Real Madrid would opt to sign Mbappe on a free next year once his contract at PSG is up but reports in France suggest the La Liga side are preparing to make an offer for the Frenchman before the transfer window shuts at the start of September.
According to the French newspaper Le Parisien, Los Blancos intend to bid for the player by August 15 though they will have to fork out a lot of money to get the deal done. PSG reportedly want at least £172million for their star striker, who has informed club executives that he will not extend his stay at Parc des Princes past the end of next summer.
Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal are the only potential suitors to cough up a transfer fee that matches the Parisian’s valuation of the player – a stunning £257m world-record bid – but Mbappe turned the offer down. The 24-year-old has his heart set on playing for Real Madrid and is understood to have already agreed personal terms with the Spanish giants.
Marca claim that those close to Mbappe are already looking at properties in Madrid with confidence said to be high that a move is on the horizon, ending any hopes of Chelsea or another Premier League team signing him. Mbappe has been very vocal about his opinions on PSG in recent months which hasn’t helped his standing in the dressing room.
Six of his team-mates contacted club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi to complain about comments made by him during a controversial interview with France Football Magazine, conducted in June. During the sit-down chat, Mbappe branded PSG a ‘divisive’ club and stated that his performances are unjustly criticised because it is much harder to impress while playing in France.
“Are people trivializing my performances?” he told the French outlet. “Yes, but at the same time, I don’t blame them, he says. In France, they saw me grow up, they see me all the time, at PSG every weekend or in selection.
“And I’ve been scoring a lot for years. So, for people, it’s becoming normal. I’ve never complained that my performances are trivialized.”
He added: “I think playing at Paris-SG doesn’t help much because it’s a divisive team, a divisive club. So, of course, it attracts gossip but it doesn’t bother me because I know what I’m doing and how I do it.”
A move to Real Madrid will be very important in ensuring Mbappe doesn’t get sucked into a negative atmosphere at PSG, who are desperate to see the back of him.