Kylian Mbappé 'Tells PSG' of Desire to Leave Next Summer
By Tom Gott
Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé has told club officials that he wants to be sold next summer, with a move to either the Premier League or La Liga in his sights.
The 21-year-old, who cost PSG a whopping £165m back in 2018, will have just one year remaining on his contract at the end of the current campaign, and there's no chance the French side will risk letting him walk away for free if he refuses to sign a new deal.
PSG have made him plenty of offers for a few contract, but according to The Times, Mbappé has made it abundantly clear that he doesn't plan on inking fresh terms and he has given club director Leonardo 12 months to prepare for his departure.
Out of respect for the club, he wants to give PSG enough of a chance to recoup their investment in him, and while getting the full £165m back might be a stretch, there will be a handful of sides keen to part with big money to sign him.
The leading candidats are Real Madrid, who have been planning 'Project Mbappé' for years. Just like they did with Eden Hazard, they have urged Mbappé to enter the final year of his contract, allowing them to swoop in and save the day with a 'cut-price' bid.
Los Blancos haven't spent a single penny this summer as a response to the coronavirus outbreak, so they will hope to have enough wiggle room to finally land their dream target next summer.
However, they are expected to face competition from Barcelona, who could well face the prospect of replacing Lionel Messi next summer. The Argentine's contract will officially expire at the end of the season, and by the sounds of it, he might not be too keen to sign an extension.
Away from Spain, Liverpool will likely attract their own speculation. The front line of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah all turn 29 this season and could well be sold if sizeable offers arrive, in order to free up the funds to sign a younger option like Mbappé.
Mbappé has regularly spoken of his admiration for Liverpool, having hyped up both the players and manager Jürgen Klopp in the past, while the Reds' recent switch to Nike has added to the speculation around their pull for the Frenchman.
Finally, someone close to Mbappé has thrown Manchester United's name into the ring. The Red Devils have (so far) been frustrated in their attempts to sign Jadon Sancho this summer, while they remain one of precious few clubs with the finances to complete a deal to team the superstar up with his World Cup winning teammate Paul Pogba.
