Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has agreed to finally join Real Madrid this summer, according to reports in his native France.
Real Madrid have always looked like the most likely club to sign Mbappe next, but other suitors such as Liverpool have been linked and there has been scepticism about whether the 25-year-old really will end up in Spain.
After all, he was on the verge of signing for Real Madrid in 2022, but stunned the world by extending his contract in Paris instead.
It may not have been his last chance to go to Madrid, though, as frustrating as it may have been for the side from the Spanish capital.
Given what happened two years ago, a report over the weekend explained how Madrid would set a deadline this month for Mbappe to commit to a pre-contract agreement with them.
The Times suggested Mbappe was not happy with their demand and wanted to remain in control of his own future, potentially opening up a rift between the two parties that could derail their chances of ever working together.
But an update from Foot Mercato late on Sunday night made the sensational claim that Mbappe has found an ‘agreement’ with Real Madrid for next season after all.
Per the French source, Mbappe has said ‘yes’ to Los Blancos and his arrival there for next season is now ‘accelerating’.
Foot Mercato does not deny that Mbappe ‘wants to control the situation’, but his destiny appears to be becoming a Real Madrid player in six months’ time.
The report explains how Mbappe feels he would be leaving PSG in a good position. He has won five league titles with them and became their all-time record scorer 11 months ago.
PSG only have Mbappe under contract until the end of the season, though, so his seventh term in their colours seems likely to be his last.
Since the turn of the calendar year, he has been eligible to hold talks with clubs outside France. According to Foot Mercato, he reached his agreement with Madrid in recent days.
Mbappe to Real Madrid will be massive
There is no doubt that Mbappe fits the pedigree of a ‘Galactico’ signing. He won the World Cup with France in 2018 and scored a hat-trick in the final of the same competition for them in 2022.
He is also in the top 20 all-time scorers in the Champions League and has been named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year four times.
The Real Madrid attack he could be arriving in has been in transition this season after the summer departure of Karim Benzema to Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League.
They are still lacking a centre-forward of similar standard. Although Mbappe likes to play on the wing as well, he could give them more of a focal point up front thanks to his impressive goal record.
Now, it looks like Mbappe is closing in on what many have described as a dream move for him.
