Kylian Mbappe won’t join Real Madrid this summer after Paris Saint-Germain failed to respond to the Spanish club’s €200-million offer on Tuesday morning, according to The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano.
Real Madrid are now expected to strike a pre-contract agreement with Mbappe in January, allowing them to sign the French forward on a free transfer when his PSG deal expires in June 2022, according to Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol.
The Spanish club’s offer actually exceeded €220 million, Solhekol adds.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi was determined to keep the 22-year-old until January at least, Romano reports. However, he’s left the club open to losing Mbappe for nothing by doing so. Les Parisiens owe AS Monaco €180 million for Mbappe’s transfer four years ago.
Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Neymar were named in the same matchday squad for Sunday’s 2-0 win at Stade de Reims, but the celebrated trio is yet to line up together due to Messi replacing Neymar in the 66th minute of that Ligue 1 game.
Now, PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino has the opportunity to field all three attackers as the club tries to fulfill its main ambition of winning the Champions League. The French side’s European campaign starts at Club Brugge on Sept. 15; its group is rounded out by Manchester City and RB Leipzig.