For years, PSG superstar forward Kylian Mbappé has been linked with a high-profile transfer to Real Madrid, and nothing has ever materialized despite two extremely close calls.
In 2021, Madrid pushed hard to sign Mbappé at the summer transfer deadline, but PSG rejected an eye-watering 200 million euro offer for the 2018 World Cup champion.
Then in 2022, Real and Mbappé reportedly agreed to a pre-contract in the winter, but since nothing was signed, PSG were able to convince the forward to stay by giving him unprecedented money and power.
Now in 2024, the transfer rumors have not subsided, with 2023 featuring a host of bizarre, behind-the-scenes rumors and even an apparent back-and-forth of letters between player and club.
While Florentino Pérez likely remains interested in the Galáctico, Real Madrid’s pursuit of Mbappé has definitely cooled. Meanwhile, PSG are desperate to throw all kinds of money in order to keep their only true superstar at the project.
Reporter Stéphane Guy said on RMC Sports’s “After Foot” program that PSG are willing to offer Kylian Mbappé 400 million euros over four years in salary, with his wages being 100 million euros per year.
PSG may not have more to offer Kylian Mbappé than the Saudi Pro League
Per Guy, that will no longer include sponsorship money either, which means Mbappé can earn more than the jaw-dropping 100 million euro base salary from Qatar to continue playing in Paris.
Of course, Mbappé could make double that from the Saudi Pro League, which is set to invest a further 2.7 billion euros in the coming summer transfer window.
Yet while Saudi Arabia can mostly offer money and has to really sell their level of competition with aging superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, PSG can boast still competing in the Champions League plus money.
Except if PSG aren’t actually competitive in the UCL, if Ligue 1 really is (as Cristiano says) inferior to the Saudi Arabian top flight, and the Saudi Pro League gets into the UCL anyway because of financial interests, then what does PSG truly have to offer?
Real Madrid are likely watching all this amused, seeing the same scenario play out and not wanting anything to do with it. They know what they have to offer, and they know that after winning the Champions League without Mbappé, they don’t need to beg.
Plus, in Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham, Madridistas will argue that they have two better players anyway. Those in the Goalkeeper’s Union will chime in with Thibaut Courtois as a third.
