Although he can sign a pre-contract agreement with a lot of teams now, this saga looks set to drag on to the summer with Kylian Mbappe probably becoming the best free agent signing in the history of football.
Mbappe has already beaten several records and he is only 23. Having won the World Cup and being a Champions League finalist, Mbappe has everything to become a record breaker like Tom Brady in NFL (check out all Tom Brady’s list of Super Bowl records by TwinSpires here).
The big question is where will Kylian end up?
Real Madrid
Mbappe is undeniably a star and will grace the elite bracket of the game for the next decade or so barring horrific injury. It’s easy to see why Real Madrid want to sign him.
Their star has fallen a little bit in the last couple of years and with key players like Luka Modric and Karin Benzema, not getting any younger they need a new man to lead their club. Mbappe could be the new jewel in their crown; in fact, the betting odds tell you he will be a Real player soon enough.
Real have pursued Mbappe for a long time now. Most recently, their interest made itself publicly known in the summer as they put €220m on the table. PSG, who are one of the richest clubs in the world, batted it away; it was never an option for them. For the player, however, it seems he’s desperate to pull on the Los Blancos strip at some point in his career.
Given that Real Madrid look set for the La Liga title this season in combination of the drop off Barcelona have had, now could be the time that Mbappe moves to Madrid to help them dominate Spain and beyond for the next 10 years.
Liverpool
If we’re being honest, Mbappe rocking up in a Liverpool kit feels unlikely. That said, it’s not completely impossible. Liverpool are known admirers of the France forward and his style of play would fit seamlessly into Juergen Klopp’s system. It’s also understood that the player himself is rather fond of the German coach, which is a glimmer of hope for the Reds fan base. The biggest stumbling block to making this any form of real possibility is one that is underpinned by finances.
If Liverpool were to being someone of Mbappe’s ilk to the club then it would probably have to be as a replacement for Mo Salah. In that scenario you would have to argue the team itself isn’t any stronger for the change and, more importantly, Mbappe wants to continue playing with the best in the world. He would surely need to be sold a vision of him and Salah tearing things up together; that feels impossible.
Newcastle United
Okay, we won’t spend much time on this but it is a link that’s been floated around by a few different sources since Newcastle saw their controversial takeover take place. We’ve just touched on Liverpool not being capable of really affording Mbappe, which is also a big part of the reason why you won’t see Mbappe turning up in Serie A or the Bundesliga, but Newcastle could afford him and have millions left to play with.
Of course, there are a few reasons why this won’t happen. Firstly, the Magpies could be a second tier side next season and, for sure, they’ll be nowhere near the Champions League for at least a couple of years. Could Mbappe join them in five years time? Maybe. It won’t be now though. Absolutely, no chance. Zilch.
Could a U-turn see him stay at PSG?
The final option for Mbappe is that he stays out in Paris. It’s probably the most likely scenario behind a move to Real Madrid. There would be huge plus points to staying at PSG too. Financially, they can put together a package that would match any club out there, they’ll ensure Mbappe plays with the best players around and they’re almost guaranteed silverware each season. You could even argue that PSG are more likely to lift the Champions League before Real get their hands on the trophy again.
Of course, it’s not all positives. Already Mbappe has expressed his desire to move on, which makes things a tad awkward. Most importantly though, Mbappe has achieved everything that’s possible in French football having won honours with both Monaco and PSG. The option to go and test himself in a new environment is something that clearly appeals and you feel PSG would have to magic up some serious carrots to dangle to keep him.
There you have it, a look at what’s next for Kylian Mbappe. Do you think it will be something else besides these? Where you see the French starlet next season?
