Kylian Mbappe agrees to sacrifice £69m as Liverpool step up transfer chase for PSG star
Kylian Mbappe’s future is back in the spotlight after the Liverpool transfer target entered the final six months of his lucrative contract with Paris Saint-Germain
Kylian Mbappe has already agreed to forgo a loyalty bonus worth £69million in order to secure a more amicable exit from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, as Liverpool prepare to make their move.
Twenty-five-year-old Mbappe has just entered the final six months of his lucrative PSG contract which was only signed in 2022 after Parc des Princes chiefs managed to fend off strong interest from Real Madrid. At the beginning of this campaign, however, the Ligue 1 champions were left furious with Mbappe and axed him from their pre-season tour of Asia after the French superstar wrote to the club informing them that he wouldn’t be agreeing to sign-off a one-year extension, as PSG had previously expected him to do.
Despite the dispute, Mbappe was still rewarded with an 80 million euro loyalty bonus after he remained with the club beyond the closure of summer transfer window and was reintegrated into new manager Luis Enrique’s squad. Mbappe, though, waived the first instalment of that bonus and would be willing to forgo it completely should he leave Paris this summer.
Amid the complex financial developments, reported by Caught Offside, the France captain can now sign a pre-contract agreement with a new club and Liverpool hope to take advantage of his uncertain future. Spanish giants Real Madrid were long considered to be the most interested party but multiple reports over the winter have suggested that Jurgen Klopp’s Reds are now the frontrunners after holding previous discussions over a transfer.
“I talked to Liverpool because it’s the favourite club of my mum,” Mbappe told the Telegraph in 2022. “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.”
He hasn’t ruled out staying in the French capital, though, with the former Monaco starlet declaring after PSG beat Toulouse 2-0 in the French Super Cup on Wednesday: “I’m very, very, very motivated for this year. It’s very important.
Your turn! Should Kylian Mbappe join Liverpool this summer? Give us your verdict in the comments section.
“As I said, we’ve got titles to go after and we’ve already won one, so that’s already done. After that, no, I haven’t made up my mind yet. But in any case, with the agreement I made with the chairman this summer, it doesn’t matter what I decide.
“We managed to protect all parties and preserve the club’’ serenity for the challenges ahead, which remains the most important thing. So we’ll say it’s secondary.”
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi heaped praise on Mbappe after his return to the squad – and the goals – in September, saying: “Kylian Mbappe is an incredible player and fantastic person. And the PSG team, on and off the field, has never been so united.”
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Liverpool plot shock deal, must secure £15.2million star signing – PG view
Liverpool have one of the best attacks in the Premier League led by the world class Mohamed Salah, who is the leading goal scorer and assist provider this season.
However, the Egyptian international is set to be unavailable for weeks and reports indicate that the Reds are plotting a shock move to sign a forward.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are exploring the market with a shock deal for a striker, who can fit into the starting XI immediately.
The news source have mentioned that the Merseysiders are ideally looking for a short-term loan option.
We think a cheap permanent deal should be secured for a talented and experienced center forward..
In our view, Liverpool must move to secure the signing of Guinean international, Serhou Guirassy, who has been one of the best goal-scorers in the continent this season.
The 27-year-old star has found the net 17 times in just 12 Bundesliga starts for Stuttgart this season and is only behind Bayern’s Harry Kane.
His current contract with the German side will expire in 2026 and has a very low release clause of £15.2million (The Athletic).
Guirassy has traveled for the AFCON but in all fairness, at £15.2million, he is the biggest opportunity available in the market if Liverpool seriously want to strengthen their frontline for cheap.
In your view, who should Klopp lure to reinforce the attack at Anfield?
Paul Joyce pitches in on Liverpool’s January transfer window business as one arrival telling
Liverpool, it seems, are highly unlikely to engage in business this January ‘as it stands’.
Paul Joyce shared the update in question in a joint transfer window piece, with the arrival of Owen Beck (returning from a loan spell with Dundee) suggesting the Reds may look at internal solutions to their current dilemmas.
“As it stands, it is unlikely that Liverpool will move into the market during January,” the Times reporter wrote. “The youngster Owen Beck has been brought back from a loan spell at Dundee to provide options at left back after the injuries to Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas. Longer term, a centre back is required.”
This comes amid a swathe of injuries in the backline, with Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas and Joel Matip all sidelined.
Could Liverpool be missing an opportunity here?
Jurgen Klopp will rightly argue that it makes little sense to bring in a player and risk overpopulating the squad for the sake of a few weeks.
Indeed, Andy Robertson is expected to make a return to the pitch by the end of Janaury, which would have the effect of freeing Joe Gomez up to act as backup to the centre of the backline.
That said, another injury to the back four could leave us worryingly short of options at a time when we’re attempting to maintain a surprise lead in the Premier League table.
If luck’s to be on our side, we’re probably better staying put, but we’ll kick ourselves if a signing could have tipped the scales in our favour come May.
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