Kylian Mbappe's transfer to Real Madrid hits stumbling block

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Real Madrid are still negotiating a contract with Kylian Mbappe, and the two sides are no closer to an agreement on his wage package. Although it is now expected even at Paris Saint-Germain that the 25-year-old will go to the Bernabeu, an agreement remains someway off.

The Qatari-owned club still have an offer on the table for Mbappe but it is understood not to be a significant increase on his current deal. The PSG hierarchy of course wish him to stay, but do not want to be held to ransom as the French league leaders insist on going in a new strategic direction.

The widespread feeling is that Mbappe himself has decided it is finally time to move on but the Madrid offer so far hasn't been to the satisfaction of the player or his entourage. Potential switches to Liverpool or Arsenal have been explored but neither wants to break their wage structure to go for him.

It leaves perhaps the best player in the world oddly limited in terms of options, which was precisely what happened with Lionel Messi at Barcelona.

Madrid themselves have recalibrated their entire approach over the last half-decade, aiming to develop younger players from initially lower contracts. That was partly because of a long period where the wage bill was clear purposely to bring Mbappe in, only for the forward’s decision to remain at PSG in 2022 greatly disappointing Bernabeu president Florentino Perez.