Kylian Mbappe has reportedly asked to leave Paris Saint-Germain after months of speculation regarding his future, which has seen Liverpool consistently name-checked.
Mbappe has long seen his name tied to the Reds, with reported interest dating back to 2016 at a time when Jurgen Klopp had met with the young Frenchman.
He has since become one of the game’s outright stars and at the age of 22, he has already amassed 231 appearances at senior club level for a return of 159 goals and has a World Cup winners’ medal with France.
It has long been suggested that Liverpool are one of two clubs that Mbappe would be tempted to leave PSG for, with Real Madrid the other – who are currently claimed to be chasing Erling Haaland.
A decision on his future was expected to be made following Euro 2020 with his current contract in Paris expiring next summer, but according to reports in France a choice has been made.
“I know that Mbappe asked to leave, but it is complicated because first you have to find a club that has the money to pay him, but the news is that he really does not want to stay,” RMC Sport’s Daniel Riolo said, via Marca.
“The player does not believe in Leonardo’s project. If he does not leave this summer, it will be for free next season. And in Doha [PSG’s owners] they do not want to hear about it.
“If Mbappe expresses this desire to leave, it means that he will have to find a club and that PSG will need to look for a replacement.
“But yes, the news is that Mbappe does not want to stay at PSG.”
It comes a couple of weeks after PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi insisted that Mbappe “will never leave” Parc de Princes with no other club able to “compete” with PSG’s project and ambition.
You could certainly debate the latter and the question marks over Mbappe’s future suggest as much, especially as he could leave for free next season.
It remains unlikely that Liverpool would land Mbappe, such is the fee and/or wages he would demand, and while long considered fanciful, it’s one that you can not rule as impossible when a generational talent is on the table and a long-standing interest exits.
But it’s been relatively quiet on the attacker front elsewhere this summer with few names strongly linked, with the Reds expected to shift players before pursuing other targets.
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