Reports of discord in the French capital will no doubt have made fans of top teams across Europe salivate at the prospect of tempting one of the world’s best talents.
Liverpool would certainly be in that discussion about Kylian Mbappe’s future due in part to Jurgen Klopp’s admiration for the French international.
That said, the 23-year-old’s likely astronomical salary demands, as Jacque Talbot points out, would present the Reds with a significant and possibly terminal hurdle.
“Mbappé has caused a media frenzy to put pressure on PSG,” the Football Transfers journalist exclusively told Empire of the Kop.
“Those in France believe that it is essentially a bluff. The club will not sell this year or next, it is doing so to be able to play in the same position as it has for the France team.
“He wanted a number nine to play alongside him, but that hasn’t happened. He will get what he wants eventually.
“Naturally, many clubs would like to wear it. Know that Chelsea is interested, Man United too. Liverpool have had a long-standing interest in him being one of the best players in the world, but he doesn’t fit their model, while of course they will have to break the salary structure to get it.
“In any case, he will be with PSG for at least the next two years. It is a club that has put a lot of effort into keeping him happy as he generates a lot of sponsorship for them.
“He is essentially the face of the Qatari sports business, and that carries weight far beyond football.”
The former Monaco attacker is said to have signaled his intention to leave PSG as soon as possible, despite signing a new contract in May.
Some background of the PSG and Mbappé saga, with linked clubs. EXCLUSIVE: Kylian Mbappe will leave PSG amidst Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool… https://t.co/emAPcXAoYu via @YouTube
— Jacque Talbot (@jac_talbot) October 12, 2022
The good news for the Ligue 1 side is that their terms, which critically won’t expire until 2025, will give them much more room to decide on a next move than in the run-up to the summer window.
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The bad news remains more or less unchanged for Merseysiders who are committed as ever to a spirit of sustainability for the most part.
Empire of the Kop understands that there is genuine interest from the club, although, as another source has also made clear, wages will be problematic.
In Mbappé we would be investing not only in a generational talent, but also in a striker who is not yet close to reaching his best years, a reality that should scare us as much as it attracts given the Frenchman’s clear interest in an eventual change to Real Madrid.
Even assuming we could marshal the resources to meet the Paris-born star’s personal demands, Julian Ward and his recruiting team could be forced into another serious negotiation in the relatively near future when the Spanish team inevitably knocks on the door.
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