Kylian Mbappe could join a Premier League side this summer if he decides to leave PSG, with Real Madrid backing out of any potential deal.
Mbappe to Real Madrid is a transfer saga has lasted for a number of years but has always seemed an inevitability. With his PSG contract expiring in the summer, the move for Los Blancos seemed straightforward - especially with the prospect of a pre-contract agreement in January.
That deal seems off now, though, with Real Madrid "definitively ruling out the signing of Kylian Mbappe", according to Spanish outlet Cadena SAR.
The club also responded to claims last week that they were negotiating with Mbappe, releasing a statement to rebuff reports linking the Frenchman to the club.
A statement read: "Given the information recently issued and published by different media outlets, in which there is speculation about alleged negotiations between the player Kylian Mbappe and our club, Real Madrid CF would like to state that this information is completely false and that no such negotiations have taken place with a player who belongs to PSG."
Premier League clubs could therefore swoop in for Mbappe, who looks destined to leave PSG at the end of the season after rejecting a new deal with the French champions just a few months ago. While he has backtracked on decisions before, the Premier League could provide the perfect way for him to fulfil his ambitions.
Indeed, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle United have all been linked with Mbappe in the past year, and could test the waters with a contract proposal in January. As players head into the final six months of their contract, they are able to enter negotiations with another club to sign a pre-contract agreement. This means that, on the expiration of their current deal, they will be able to move to their new club for free.
Why don't Real Madrid want to sign Kylian Mbappe?
According to the aforementioned Cadena SAR report, Real Madrid's ended interest relates to three separate reasons.
Firstly, Real Madrid believe that Mbappe's wage demands are simply too high. It is believed that the Frenchman will want to earn around £330,000 per week at the Bernabeu, which would distort Madrid's ambitions to create a more sustainable wage structure.
Premier League clubs can afford to, and are willing to, pay Mbappe such significant wages, though, while Saudi Arabia proved in the summer they are more than happy to pay Mbappe ten times his wage demands if he moves to the Middle East. The Frenchman clearly wants to continue plying his trade in Europe and the Champions League, however.
In addition, the report states that Real Madrid believe Mbappe is too old. 25 in December, that seems puzzlingly. However, the La Liga side have made a concerted effort to bring in talent 21 and under in recent seasons - such as Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga and Endrick - and will look to push ahead with that strategy in future transfers.
Finally, Mbappe's previous decision to snub Real Madrid in favour of a more lucrative deal at PSG could come back to haunt him, with the Los Blancos hierarchy worried about the potential backlash from supporters over a proposed deal.
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