Kylian Mbappe has refused to enter discussions with Al-Hilal despite Paris St-Germain accepting the Saudi Arabian club’s world-record bid to sign him, according to reports in France.
Al-Hilal sent shockwaves rippling through world football earlier this week by tabling an unprecedented £259million offer for the 24-year-old, which PSG duly accepted amid their desire to sell him this summer.
Parc des Princes chiefs are ready to cash in on Mbappe, who recently entered the final year of his contract in Paris, to avoid losing their prized asset for free in 2024.
As a result, they were quick to grant Al-Hilal permission to speak with the player following their remarkable bid this week, and the Saudi Pro League outfit were understood to be readying an eye-watering personal package worth £68,000 per hour to lure him to the Middle East.
Yet despite receiving the green light to approach him, L’Equipe are reporting that Al-Hilal have been given the cold shoulder by Mbappe.
Kylian Mbappe has refused to enter discussions with Al-Hilal, according to reports in France
Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal had a world-record £259m bid for Mbappe accepted by PSG this week (pictured: Al-Hilal president Fahad bin Nafel, right, with new signing Kalidou Koulibaly)
But the 24-year-old has never considered joining Al-Hilal and has rejected talks with the club
The French publication claim he has rejected the chance to hold talks with Al-Hilal officials in Paris, where they had been finalising the signing of Brazilian star Malcom.
It is believed Mbappe turned down the meeting as he has never considered joining them this summer, despite the astonishing finances on offer.
His refusal to entertain negotiations comes as a major blow to Al-Hilal, who were ready to smash the world transfer record to bring him to Saudi.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has made it clear he does not want to lose Mbappe for free next year when his contract expires, and the World Cup winner is up for sale having been left out of the squad for their pre-season tour of Japan.
At least five clubs, including Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham, had registered their interest before Al-Hilal’s bid blew them out of the water.
The latest development may reignite their hopes of signing him, however reports have long suggested that Mbappe’s preference is to join Real Madrid.
It has even been claimed that he would be prepared to sit on the bench at PSG this season in order to see out his contract and join Madrid on a free transfer next summer.
Sources close to PSG say the club are anticipating further offers following Al-Hilal’s bid, although may take longer to formulate because they are likely to involve a player swap element.
Mbappe is claimed to be willing to sit on the bench all season in order to see out the final year of his contract at PSG
Mbappe’s PSG future has been in serious doubt ever since it emerged in June that he would not extend his existing deal through to 2025, meaning he would become a free agent next summer and able to discuss a pre-contract agreement with another club as early as January next year.
PSG feel certain that he has already agreed a free transfer to Madrid next summer, with Parisian sources saying he would benefit from a £138m signing-on fee if he wound down his existing contract and moved to the Spanish capital in 2024.
Al Hilal’s interest could ultimately have the effect of giving Mbappe leverage to push for even higher wages or a larger signing-on fee from Real, or any other club that might come in for him in January.
Mbappe’s transfer saga has even garnered the attention of the Mayor of Paris, who has urged the city’s leading football club to keep hold of their star player at all costs.
Anne Hidalgo, who took office in 2014, made an appearance on BFM TV on Tuesday morning and questioned PSG’s thinking.
‘They have the best player in the world and they are willing not to play with him,’ she said. ‘I admit that I don’t understand anything. You have to keep it in Paris.’
