Still no agreement between Mbappe and Real Madrid, could Liverpool swoop in?

There is still no agreement between Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid and there are reports that the France World Cup winner’s entourage are unconvinced by Real’s bid for this services. 

Mbappe is the world’s most lucrative free agent this summer with his Paris Saint-Germain contract expiring on June 30. 

He has been free to discuss terms with clubs since January and it is understood that the 14-time European champions have tried to woo him to the Spanish capital.

However, a report from the Athletic claims that Mbappe’s entourage believe Real’s offers fall short of the mark and that the 25-year-old could earn more at PSG or any other potential suitor. 

The all-time PSG top goalscorer is reported to earn around €75m a year in the French capital and Madrid have been either unable or unwilling to get close to that figure. 

It means another hold-up in the deal and the prolonging of a saga that is now stretching to nearly two years. 

Mbappe shocked the world in May 2022 when he announced that he had agreed to sign a new contract extension at Parc des Princes despite it appearing imminent that he would join Real on a free transfer. 

It was reported that Real had put an annual salary of €26m in front of Mbappe in 2022 as well as a signing-on fee of €130m but he snubbed that deal to renew for a bumper new contract with his hometown club. 

He was paraded around the stadium clutching a PSG shirt which read MBAPPE 2025, the reported end date of the new contract, but it was later revealed that the contract actually expired in 2024 with Mbappe holding an option to activate a one-year extension. 

He neglected to do that last summer, stating to his club that he intended to leave on a free in 2024, sparking a furious reaction from club president Nasser al-Khelaifi. 

Mbappe was banished to the PSG “bomb squad” to train alongside those players intended to be sold and PSG even accepted a mammoth bid from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, a move which Mbappe refused.  

He was quickly reintegrated back into Luis Enrique’s first-team picture and has gone on to score 30 goals in 29 games, leading PSG to the Champions League knockouts as well as to the top of Ligue 1. 

Two weeks ago Le Parisien stated that Mbappe’s mind was made up and he would seek to join Real this summer. It also stated that PSG believed the battle to keep their superstar was over. 

Madrid outlet Cadena SER also reported that Mbappe’s demands to join Carlo Ancelotti’s squad were now a €50m annual salary, a €120m signing bonus and a 60/40 split in his image rights. 

Ancelotti answers Mbappe question

Whatever Madrid have offered thus far has not come close to matching Mbappe’s expectations and Ancelotti appeared exasperated at the weekend when quizzed yet again about the status of the Mbappe deal. 

"You keep asking about a player who plays for another team,” the Italian said after Madrid beat Girona 4-0.

"We already have the best players in the world here. In order: Vini Jr first, [Jude] Bellingham second, Rodrygo third. Then [Toni] Kroos, [Federico] Valverde, [Eduardo] Camavinga…"

Where Liverpool stand

While Madrid remain in pole position to sign Mbappe this summer, the door could be slightly ajar for suitors in the Premier League like Liverpool. 

Mbappe admitted to the Telegraph two seasons ago that his mother and agent, Fayza Lamari, was urging him to sign for Liverpool as a youth but at this stage it is unlikely that the Reds - or for that matter any other English club - could and would break their wage structure in order to bring in Mbappe.

“We talked a little bit, but not too much,” the player told the Telegraph. “We talked a little bit. I talked to Liverpool because it’s the favourite club of my mum, my mum loves Liverpool. 

“I don’t know why, you will have to ask her! It’s a good club and we met them five years ago. When I was in Monaco I met them. It’s a big club."

Anfield Watch has previously reported that Liverpool would only entertain a move for Mbappe in the event that highest-earner Mohamed Salah were to leave the club. It is a prospect that appears increasingly unlikely with the Egyptian now leaning towards renewing his contract at Anfield.