July 26, (THEWILL) – Paris Saint-Germain star forward, Kylian Mbappe, has reportedly turned down the opportunity to meet with representatives from Al Hilal, following the Saudi Pro League side’s jaw-dropping €300m offer accepted by PSG.
The French club is eager to facilitate Mbappe’s transfer to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer. While PSG had initially put a €200m (£171m) price tag on the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot winner, Al Hilal’s bid surpassed that amount significantly. The Saudi club’s willingness to make him one of the highest-paid athletes in the world aside, Mbappe, along with his agent, his mother, have expressed “zero interest” in leaving Europe at this time, affirming his ambition to play at the highest level for as long as possible.
Real Madrid, a long-time admirer of Mbappe, have remained unfazed by Al Hilal’s pursuit of the French forward and could still attempt to secure his services this summer, possibly at a reduced price. Alternatively, they could opt to sign him on a pre-contract agreement in January when only six months remain on his PSG deal.
PSG president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, is determined to avoid such a situation and has instructed intermediaries to attract interest in Mbappe from other top European clubs. However, given the substantial financial implications of the deal and Mbappe’s strong desire to join Real Madrid, any bid from interested parties may face significant challenges.
While Mbappe seems resolute in his decision to stay in Europe, his PSG teammate, Marco Verratti, appears to be on the verge of joining Al Hilal in Riyadh. The Italian midfielder is reportedly close to signing a lucrative three-year contract with the Saudi club, where he would be part of a formidable midfield trio alongside Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Al Hilal has already bolstered their backline by securing Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
