Real Madrid are expected to explore a summer move for Kylian Mbappe, after he announced his plans to quit Paris Saint-Germain, which could effectively end their interest in Harry Kane.
Mbappe stunned PSG on Monday when he informed them he will not trigger a 12-month extension in his contract that would have taken him to 2025.
The 24-year-old France captain will be a free agent at the end of next season and his decision to leave PSG could spark a transfer bidding war for him this summer. PSG have always maintained Mbappe would not be allowed to leave for free, meaning they may now reluctantly sell to the highest bidder.
Madrid have a long-standing interest in Mbappe and appear favourites to sign him this summer, though they are likely to face interest from Premier League clubs. But Madrid have agreed a deal to sign Jude Bellingham for £88.5million and it is unlikely they could afford Bellingham, Mbappe and Kane in the same summer.
PSG are likely to demand around £150m for Mbappe. Manchester United want to sign Kane, but Spurs insist the England captain, who has one year left on his own deal, will not be sold to a Premier League rival under any circumstances.
Spurs might have considered a huge offer of around £100m, but if Madrid pursue a move for Mbappe, it increases the likelihood of Kane staying with Tottenham next season.
Madrid pushed hard to sign Mbappe in 2021, when they bid £154m to land him in the final weeks of the summer window.
When PSG rejected the offer, the feeling in Madrid was that he would move to the Bernabeu on a free transfer the following summer, when his contract was due to expire.
But Mbappe signed a new contract with PSG and Madrid were left bitterly disappointed by the whole saga.
They still see Mbappe as a player who can become an icon at the Bernabeu as they bid to build a team capable of stopping Manchester City becoming a dominant force in Europe under Pep Guardiola.
City, themselves, are one of the few English clubs who could afford Mbappe, though it remains to be seen if they would pursue a move for him.
It is no secret that Chelsea want to sign a striker this summer, and a move for Mbappe would be a huge statement of intent from their owners, as they rebuild under Mauricio Pochettino.
United are also in the market for a striker this summer and could soon be under new owners, with reports claiming that Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim is closing in on a takeover at Old Trafford, which would significantly increase their transfer budget.
Mbappe has never hidden his admiration for Liverpool or the football they play under Jurgen Klopp, and it is likely he would consider a move to Anfield.
But whether they could afford him, having signed Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez in the past year, is another matter.
PSG are furious with Mbappe after he sent them a letter informing them he wants to leave.
Mbappe’s camp insist he served notice to the club via a letter, but PSG sources claim it went to the media first.
PSG feel let down after telling Mbappe they want to build a new-look team around him and would give him unprecedented influence at the club if he signed his new contract.
PSG withdrew an offer to extend Lionel Messi’s contract and he has now decided to quit and join MLS side Inter Miami. PSG would happily sell Neymar, but do not want to lose Mbappe.
