Saudi Arabia Club Al Hilal Offers Kylian Mbappé $332 M

The summer of discontent in Paris continues. Paris Saint-German, or PSG, have found new ways to make its relationship with world superstar Kylian Mbappé difficult – not that the latter has always helped himself. The team is off to Japan for some pre-season fun while their star player stays at home. Now, with both parties at crossroads for a possible contract extension, in comes Al Hilal of the top Saudi Arabian league with an offer for $332 m USD.

While PSG and Mbappé argue, check out our Women’s World Cup odds and our Leagues Cup odds.

Al Hilal puts in $332 M bid for PSG star Kylan Mbappé

Things didn’t feel right from the moment the 2018 World Cup winner signed a two-year deal last summer. For such a young and talented player – 24 years old, 23 at the time – why sign for only two years at a club with such lofty ambitions as PSG? After all, they also had Neymar and Lionel Messi at the time.

As of this writing, PSG have told Kylian Mbappé to stay home while the club goes on a Japanese pre-season tour. They have even suggested that Mbappé may have played his last game with the club. That’s a bold statement, and given that the player still has a year on his deal and is obviously the best member of the squad, it remains to be seen if PSG really mean what they say.

But PSG struggles to make the most of the talent it has, or rather, had. Messi, as everyone knows, is now with MLS’ Inter Miami and the rumour mill has it that Neymar may not be a Parisian resident for much longer either. Moreover, Messi’s two-year stint in the French capital coincided with consecutive Round of 16 eliminations in the Champions League. That competition was the real reason those phenomenal players were brought under the same roof.

Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappé has made no secret that his dream club is La Liga’s Real Madrid. The latter could use a true striker after the departure of Karim Benzema to the Saudi league. Technically, Mbappé has one year left on his two-year deal and has been very clear in his intention to honour it.

The problem for the club’s management, and this is where things get juicy, is that should that happen, their star can walk out the doors of Parc de Princes in summer 2024 and sign for Real Madrid for whatever amount those two parties agree to. Hence, PSG wants to or is trying to sell Mbappé this summer. It’s all rather complicated and frankly a bit clumsy. If readers are wondering why PSG is angry at Mbappé for doing exactly what his most recent contract says he can do…that’s PSG these days.

But Madrid are no fools. Why buy him for over $200M today when they can wait 12 months and get him for less? On the other hand, Al Hilal, one of several Saudi clubs trying to make a splash, is clearly willing to do just that, ergo the vertiginous $332 m bid. A reminder that in addition to Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and N’Golo Kanté are also playing in Saudi Arabia now. Messi was made an offer as well but turned it down.