Man Utd bidder identifies two ways to lure Mbappe as he ‘starts talks’ to make him Ronaldo’s ‘heir’
Potential new Man Utd owner Sheikh Jassim has reportedly ‘started talks’ with Kylian Mbappe’s mother as they look to sign a new striker this summer.
The 24-year-old emerged as the hottest property in the summer transfer market when it emerged on Monday that he had handed in a formal letter to Paris Saint-Germain stating that he would not be activating the one-year extension in his contract.
Mbappe only has a year left on his current contract and that means that PSG can either attempt to sell him this summer, enter talks over a new deal or allow him to leave on a free transfer next summer.
Rumours have since been floating around that he could now join Real Madrid this summer with Los Blancos needing a new forward after Karim Benzema left for Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad.
But Mbappe came out and denied those reports on Tuesday with the France international writing on Twitter: “Lies! I have already said that I will continue next season at PSG, where I am very happy.”
That means the most likely option, if PSG decide not to attempt to sell him this summer, is for Mbappe – who signed for PSG in 2017 for €180m – to leave for nothing at the end of June 2024.
The former Monaco forward extended his PSG deal just over a year ago to end Real’s pursuit at that point, but a statement from his management to the AFP news agency on Tuesday says the club were informed on July 15 last year that the player would not activate an option to extend the deal to 2025.
“Kylian Mbappe and his entourage confirm that this matter has not been discussed since over the course of the year, except a fortnight ago to announce the sending of the letter,” the statement read.
“No potential contract extension has been mentioned.”
His future is now unclear but Spanish publication Nacional insist Sheikh Jassim – who is one of the bidders to take over Man Utd – ‘has already started talks’ with Fayza Lamari, Mbappe’s mother.
It is understood that Sheikh Jassim has ‘put a blank check on the table’ for Mbappe with Man Utd prepared to offer ‘more money’ than Real Madrid.
Despite Mbappe’s comments about being happy in France, PSG ‘will do everything possible to transfer him now’ with the Ligue 1 club putting a price tag of €150m on his head.
Man Utd hope to ‘seduce’ Mbappe by making him the ‘heir’ to Cristiano Ronaldo – who left in November after a controversial interview with Piers Morgan – and offering him the famous ‘number seven’ shirt, while they are willing to offer the most money.
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