Chelsea have made a huge offer to Paris Saint-Germain in an effort to secure the signing of Kylian Mbappe this summer, according to reports.
The 24-year-old has suddenly become one of the hottest properties on the summer transfer market after it emerged earlier this month that he had presented PSG with a formal letter stating he would not activate an extension to his deal.
That means he would be out of contract and able to depart for nothing in 12 months’ time, leaving the French club looking to either negotiate a new contract or accept the highest offer possible this summer.
Real Madrid, which seems to be his most likely destination, have been heavily linked after attempting to sign the France international last season but Premier League sides Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United have also been linked.
FIFA agent Marco Kirdemir suggested earlier this week that Liverpool are prepared to pay €300m for Mbappe this summer but Fabrizio Romano confirmed on Wednesday what everyone already knew: that it’s not happening.
Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “Fifa agent Marco Kirdemir raised some eyebrows with his quotes to Marca, where he said: ‘Liverpool are competing with Real Madrid and want to pay a fortune for Mbappe.’
“Sorry to disappoint you, Liverpool fans, but I’m not aware of anything concrete between Liverpool and Mbappe at this stage. Nothing has changed for Mbappe, PSG have been very clear: sign new deal or leave the club this summer, this is PSG’s position for the last two weeks.”
And now Spanish publication Nacional claims that Chelsea have made an offer in an attempt to lure Mbappe to Stamford Bridge this summer.
The Blues have apparently offered €120m (£103m) and a selection of four players in order to get a deal over the line with Chelsea ‘willing to do anything’ to get the transfer done.
It is understood that new Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino ‘wants to meet again with his former pupil’, after managing him at PSG, and ‘intends to take advantage’ of his contract situation.
Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella, Cesar Azpilicueta and Romelu Lukaku are the four players included as part of negotiations in the hope that Chelsea can get some money knocked off PSG’s huge €150-€200m asking price for Mbappe.
The report adds that Sterling – who only joined from Manchester City a year ago – ‘could take Mbappe’s place at PSG’ after being ‘unable to live up to expectations’.
Cucurella and Azpilicueta ‘could also be part of the deal’ while Pochettino ‘would also allow Romelu Lukaku to leave for PSG if Mbappé can arrive that way’.
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