There is always one transfer saga that seems to drag out over the whole summer and this year has been no different.
Kylian Mbappe, widely regarded as one of Europe’s hottest young talents, has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, Manchester City and most recently, Paris Saint-Germain but Monaco appear intent on keeping the 18 year old for at least one more season.
Mbappe was a key figure for Leonardo Jardim’s side during the 2016/17 campaign, notching 24 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions. Monaco managed to hold off defending champions PSG in the Ligue 1 title race and Mbappe was a real difference maker.
Alongside Radamel Falcao, the youngster flourished and he looks destined to sign for one of Europe’s top clubs at some point in the near future.
You Don’t Turn Real Madrid Down
Had Monaco cowered and bowed down to Real Madrid’s demands, Mbappe might already be plying his trade at Santiago Bernabeu.
Zinedine Zidane’s side were linked with a move for the Frenchman for quite some time but nothing materialised despite reports claiming that the player himself was keen on a move to the Spanish capital.
You can never discount Real Madrid in a race for any player.
Los Blancos are linked with all of the top-rated players on the planet and punters can still back Madrid at 4/1 to sign the Monaco man before the end of the summer transfer window.
Barcelona Have Money To Spend
Every club has money to spend but Barcelona can price their rivals out of the market.
Just a few weeks ago, PSG sent shockwaves across the world of football – signing Neymar for a world record fee of £198 million.
For now, Philippe Coutinho remains their number one priority but with Liverpool refusing to budge, they could turn their attention to Mbappe. Not only would La Blaugrana be signing a top talent but they would be preventing Real from acquiring him as well; a double whammy in that sense.
At 10/1, they are outsiders but subsequent events could see Barcelona move for the youngster at some stage...
PSG Favourites For Another Major Acquisition
Enough is enough for Paris Saint-Germain’s owners. That second leg defeat to Barcelona in last season’s Champions League was the catalyst for a summer of heavy spending – and boy have they spent big.
Simply put, PSG want to win the Champions League. Competing in the quarter-finals just isn’t enough anymore. At 33/100, they are short in the market but with good reason.
Reports in France claim that Mbappe is pushing internally for a move away from Monaco and PSG are willing to fork out big money to meet their asking price. Selling to a direct domestic rival won’t be in Monaco’s best intentions but money talks and it might not be Jardim’s choice.
Monaco Stay The Value Bet At 2/1
It looks like Mbappe wants to join the French giants but a Monaco stay for one more season might be the best option all round.
At just 18 years old, he is still incredibly raw and nobody really knows whether he will emulate that terrific 2016/17 campaign. PSG won’t mind going all in on Mbappe but Monaco may convince the striker to join Neymar and co next summer.
With Monaco looking to defend the Ligue 1 title this season, keeping Mbappe is an absolute must.
Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy and Tiemoue Bakayoko have all left the club for big sums of money this summer and the defending champions aren’t short on cash. Expect his current club to do everything in their power to keep Mbappe for the time being...
