Paris Saint-Germain's Qatari owners have 'informed' Kylian Mbappe of their plan to sell him to Manchester United if Sheikh Jassim's takeover bid is successful, according to reports in France.
Mbappe kicked off his yearly summer transfer saga on Monday evening, sending an email to PSG informing them of his desire to not activate a 12-month contract extension. The French striker's current deal runs out in 2024, meaning the Ligue 1 side must sell their star this summer or lose him for free next year.
Sheikh Jassim is said to have Mbappe earmarked as the marquee signing of his debut window, should he be successful in acquiring 100 per cent of United from the Glazer family. Links to Qatar have inevitably led to speculation regarding the banker's relationship with PSG owners Qatari Sports Investments (QSI).
And according to El Pais, people involved with the French side's owners plan to use those links to hand United a chance to sign Mbappe - so long as Sheikh Jassim is the new owner. The report adds that they have informed Mbappe of the plans, and the 24-year-old finds the proposal 'interesting'.
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Elsewhere, United's pursuit of Declan Rice looks set to end with the Guardian reporting that Arsenal are closing in on a deal for the West Ham captain.
United were eyeing Rice as a potential big-money midfield option, with Erik ten Hag keen to add quality and depth in that area of the pitch. The 24-year-old has long been set to leave the Hammers, admitting during the World Cup that he wanted to compete for major trophies and in the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta's side have been consistent favourites for the midfielder and are coming closer to an agreement with West Ham. The deal is expected to top £100million, should certain add-ons be achieved.
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