Al-Hilal’s £259 Million Bid Grants Permission to Speak with Kylian Mbappe, the PSG and France Forward.
Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal has made a world record offer of £259 million for Kylian Mbappe, the forward for Paris St-Germain. The 24-year-old France captain has declined to sign a contract extension with the French champions and was not included in their pre-season tour to Japan.
With only one year left on Mbappe’s contract, PSG is eager to sell him now rather than risk losing him for free next summer. Neymar’s £200 million move from Barcelona to PSG in 2017 is the current record for the highest transfer fee. PSG had activated Neymar’s release clause to secure his signature and make him the most expensive player in the world.
If Mbappe moves, he will command two of the top three highest fees ever paid for a player, as he initially joined PSG from Monaco for £166 million in 2017. Several clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Inter Milan, and Barcelona, have expressed interest in the talented forward. Mbappe has previously stated his intention to leave PSG for free after the upcoming season, with a preference for a move to Real Madrid.
In a strategic move, PSG is open to the possibility of Mbappe leaving on loan this summer, allowing him to complete the final year of his contract elsewhere. This arrangement would enable him to join Real Madrid at no cost in twelve months, while also generating a loan fee for PSG. Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi is firm in his determination to take a tough stance, with suggestions that Mbappe might not be selected for an entire year if he refuses to break the current impasse. Such a situation could negatively impact his aspirations to represent France at Euro 2024.
Al-Hilal, owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has already made notable signings this summer, including Ruben Neves from Wolves and Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea.
