Paris Saint-Germain ‘make world-record £119million bid’ for Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe
The mammoth offer could well price Arsenal out of the market, but Real Madrid may well step up and match it
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN have launched a mammoth £119million bid for Monaco wonderkid Kylian Mbappe.
It could well dwarf anything Arsenal were prepared to offer, although Real Madrid could well match that – especially if they end up selling the likes of Alvaro Morata and James Rodriguez.
The 18-year-old bagged an impressive 26 times in just 44 games for Monaco, to fire them to the Ligue 1 title.
PSG were not believed to be interested in competing with the likes of Real Madrid and other European heavyweights in a scrap for the teen sensation.
But reports that since Antero Henrique took over at PSG as sporting director, their targets have changed, and there is now a move to try and keep top French talent in French football.
It has even been reported that Henrique has met with Mbappe’s father twice.
Kylian Mbappe factfile
- Born in Bondy, a suburb of Paris, on December 20, 1998
- Joined Moncao in 2013 after two years at the famed French national football centre, Clairefontaine
- Made his Monaco debut on December 2, 2015 – beating Thierry Henry’s 21-year-old record to become the club’s youngest ever player aged 16 years, 347 days
- Scored his first goal for the club in February 2016 and become Monaco’s youngest ever scorer aged, 17 years, 62 days, once again beating a Thierry Henry record
- In February 2017, become the youngest player since 2005 to score a Ligue 1 hat-trick, aged 18 years and two months
- Took the Champions League by storm, helping Monaco to the semi-final of the competition with six goals in nine matches
- Finished the season with 26 goals in all competitions and was named in the Ligue 1 and the Champions League teams of the season
- Made his France debut in March 27 against Luxembourg – becoming the second youngest French player ever (behind Maryan Wisnieski) at 18 years, 3 months, 5 days
Monaco have recently lost one of their best players in Bernardo Silva, who joined Manchester City in a £43m move.
So they are likely to move heaven and earth to try and ensure Mbappe stays with them, and leads their attack for next season’s title defence.
But Arsenal fans will be praying that Mbappe snubs PSG and opts to play his football at the Emirates next season.
Earlier today SunSport reported how a close relative has been quoted in French media as saying that Mbappe would love to work with Arsene Wenger and could move to the Emirates just for that opportunity alone.
According to a family member, even the lack of Champions League football wouldn’t be a problem – as long as Wenger is in charge.
Le Parisien via quotes them as saying: “Wenger is one of the greats. If Kylian signs for Arsenal tomorrow, it will be for him.
“He knows how to shape the young and especially the former strikers of the French national team, Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka.
“[Lack of Champions League?] The Europa League is not an obstacle in itself.”