Real Madrid are in pole position to sign PSG and France superstar Kylian Mbappe (Picture: Getty)
INEOS director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford appears to have destroyed any dwindling hope amongst Manchester United fans of signing Kylian Mbappe, admitting that Real Madrid appear destined to land the superstar forward.
Mbappe, 25, widely regarded as one of the finest attacking players in world football, has told Paris Saint-German he has no intention of signing a new deal and will leave the Ligue 1 champions as a free agent in the summer transfer window.
The 2018 World Cup winner trained with Madrid as a youth player and held talks over a sensational move to the Bernabeu before extending his contract in the French capital in 2022.
That deal is due to expire at the end of the season and Europe’s elite clubs are believed to be queueing up for Mbappe’s signature, with Arsenal and Liverpool mooted as possible destinations alongside Madrid.
Los Blancos have pursued Mbappe for several years and the La Liga giants are understood to be plotting a lucrative offer for the ex-Monaco man including an astronomical signing bonus of between £103m and £111m.
United have been tentatively linked with Mbappe in past transfer windows, but the Red Devils are not expected to provide competition for the Frenchman’s services and are instead expected to prioritise overhauling’s Erik ten Hag’s defence.
That didn’t stop one optimistic supporter ambushing Brailsford and quizzing United’s newly appointed chief on a potential bid for Mbappe ahead of the side’s trip to Luton in the Premier League this weekend.
‘Can you buy Mbappe?’, the young fan asked, to which Brailsford replied: ‘I think he’s got his heart set on going to Real Madrid, hasn’t he?’
Reports in the week suggested Mbappe could be tempted by a switch to Arsenal to follow in the footsteps of his fellow countryman and childhood hero Thierry Henry.
Addressing the media on Friday, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said he hoped the club would be in the race for the France international – though conceded Spain’s capital was his likely destination.
‘When there is a player of that calibre we always have to be in the conversation,’ Arteta’s said ahead of the Gunners’ clash with Burnley.
‘But as you said it looks in a different way [that Mbappe will end up signing for Real Madrid].’
The attacker is out of contract at the Parc des Princes in the summer (Picture: Getty)
Pressed on whether Arsenal should be in the mix to land Mbappe, the Spaniard replied: ‘Exactly. Why not? If we want to be the best team, we are going to need the best talent and the best players, that is for sure.
‘The club we are, I don’t think that has ever been an issue. Everybody wants to play for Arsenal.
‘At least the players we have held discussions with, they always have that smile on their face the moment you open the door and start to have that discussion. That is because of our history and everything we have done in the past.’
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Mbappe has scored 243 goals in 290 games for Paris Saint-Germain since joining from Ligue 1 rivals Monaco back in 2018.
In that time, Mbappe has won five league titles and was in the PSG side that finished runners-up to Bayern Munich in the Champions League three-and-a-half years ago.
The forward will be desperate to end his stay at PSG on a high after lifting the Trophee des Champions last month, with the Ligue 1 outfit battling for silverware in the league and in Europe.
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