AS Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe has decided that he will only leave the French champions in the summer, if Real Madrid came calling.
As per a report in Spanish publication MARCA, the 18-year-old French sensation has made it clear to the Ligue 1 Champions that if he were to leave the Stade Louis II this summer’s transfer window, it will only be for a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Mbappe reportedly had a meeting with club owner Dmitri Rybolovlev in the Spanish city of Palma de Mallorca on Thursday and informed the 50-year-old billionaire that he would only leave AS Monaco if UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid came with an offer.
The report further goes on to state that he said: “Real Madrid or no one.” This comes over a month after it was revealed that Mbappe had agreed to join Los Blancos in the summer, after the club had contacted his family and representatives.
This will no doubt have come as a huge blow to the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Barcelona and Liverpool, all of whom are rumoured to be admirers of the French International striker.
PSG had recently established contact with Monaco to talk about a possible move for their star striker. Antero Henrique, the Parisians’ newly-appointed Sporting Director, met with the player’s representatives a few days ago to discuss a possible move.
The now deposed French champions reportedly believe that a deal could be made between the 2 sides, but it seems highly unlikely that Monaco would be willing to sell to a direct title rival, even if they would be able to match Monaco’s €100 million valuation of the player.
Barcelona were said to have had tried their hand at convincing Mbappe to shun their arch rivals Real Madrid in favour of a move to the Nou Camp. The Catalan giants are in need of a forward who could ease the goalscoring burden on Messi, Neymar and Suarez and Mbappe’s exploits in France would have certainly gotten their attention.
At only 18, he would have also been the perfect long term replacement for Luis Suarez, who is now 30. The Copa del Rey Champions’ efforts to convince the striker were in vain however, and it seems as if their search for a top class forward has to be taken elsewhere.
Arsenal were also interested in the young striker who has drawn comparisons to club legend Thierry Henry. The Gunners are in dire need of a striker like the legendary Frenchman in their ranks and reportedly offered to Mbappe the opportunity to lead the line as their first choice striker.
However, it seems like their efforts too, proved futile. Personal terms aside, it is unlikely that the Gunners would have come close to matching his astronomical valuation and it unlikely that Les Monégasques will let him go for anything less, as local rivals Liverpool recently found out.
Jurgen Klopp’s side recently launched a massive £68 million bid for the striker in an attempt to convince Monaco to let him go, but they immediately rejected Liverpool’s bid. Liverpool’s most expensive purchase is Andy Carroll, who was purchased for £35 million.
The Reds have a chequered history of spending big money on players, and the fact that they were willing to smash their transfer record by paying nearly double, for only a teenager speaks volumes about Mbappe’s talent and how desperately they need a player of his calibre in their squad.
There now seems to be a very real danger of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Madrid due to his treatment by the Spanish Tax authorities and while he is in all honesty irreplaceable, Real will have to act fast in order to try and secure some quality reinforcements in a bid to soften the blow.
Mbappe, who is currently on national duty with France, was set to move to Real Madrid in 2018 after spending another year in Monaco on loan, getting experience. However, should Ronaldo ultimately leave the Spanish capital, the 18-year-old’s may find himself in Madrid sooner rather than later.