Sources: Mbappé rejects chance to meet Al Hilal
Credit to Author: ESPN News Services| Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2023 23:17:22 EST
Stevie Nicol and Don Hutchison critique Paris Saint-Germain’s handling of Kylian Mbappe and not bringing him on the preseason tour. (2:35)
Kylian Mbappé has refused to meet with representatives of Saudi Arabian team Al Hilal, who have made a world-record bid for the France striker, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The Paris Saint-Germain player wouldn’t meet with Al Hilal officials, who were in the French capital to sign Brazilian forward Malcom.
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The news was first reported by French sports daily L’Equipe.
Al Hilal made a record €300 million ($332 million) bid for Mbappé on Monday but sources have told ESPN that the World Cup winner is not interested in joining the Riyadh-based club.
Instead, he plans to walk away as a free agent at the end of the upcoming season, when he is widely expected to join Real Madrid.
Sources told ESPN that should Mbappé go to Real Madrid on a free transfer next summer, he would potentially get a €100m signing on fee. He would also get an €80m bonus this September should he opt to stay with PSG.
PSG want to cash in on the World Cup star now rather than let him walk for free a year from now when his contract expires.
However, Mbappé’s PSG teammate Marco Verratti has now agreed to join Al Hilal, sources have told ESPN.
While PSG and Al Hilal have yet to agree a transfer fee and remain some way apart in their valuations, the Italy international midfielder is expected to become the latest big name to move to Saudi Arabia.
Al Hilal missed out on Lionel Messi, who joined Inter Miami after two years at PSG.
Information from ESPN’s Julien Laurens and the Associated Press was used in this report.