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Kylian Mbappe shocked world football yesterday by informing Paris Saint-Germain that he has no intention of renewing his contract beyond 2024, and in doing so forcing his club to listen to offers for the France star this summer.
And now Manchester United have been mooted with a sensational swoop for the 24-year-old, with a £170m price tag mooted.
According to Football Insider, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is determined to bring Mbappe to Old Trafford if his takeover bid is successful.
The Qatari banker and founder on the Nine-Two Foundation is currently battling Sir Jim Ratcliffe for the position as Manchester United’s new owners, with both looking to take control of the club from the Glazer family.
Sheikh Jassim is said to be a “huge admirer” of Mbappe and believes that the attacker “belongs at Man United.”
Paris Saint-Germain could well keep him until next summer, with the player himself insisting that he is happy to see out the last year of his contract.
But should a club meet their £170m price tag, they are likely to allow him to depart, given the unwanted prospect of losing such an assset on a free transfer.
Mbappe at Old Trafford is certainly an interesting prospect, and one that will no doubt set pulses racing among the fanbase.
But with the Frenchman earning around £1m-a-week in wages, signing him would mean a complete collapse of the existing salary structure at the club, which is something United have been focussed on rectifying since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo last November.
The outlay required to bring Mbappe to Manchester, along with what would be an incredible transfer fee, makes this rumour seem highly unlikely regardless of who succeeds the Glazer family.
Man United are sure to have a busy summer window, but it would be hard to imagine Kylian Mbappe being its focus.
Nevertheless, the relationship between Paris Saint-Germain and their star player is clearly a fractious one, and well worth keeping an eye on.
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