The ambitious plans of the Saudis to complete a 300 million euro ($333 million) takeover have been dealt a possibly fatal blow by Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe’s refusal to meet with Al Hilal representatives. According to the sports daily L’Equipe, the French star has declined “any discussion with the Al-Hilal club representatives, present in Paris this Wednesday.” Scroll down to read more details about Kylian Mbappe ‘Refuses To Talk’ To Al Hilal Club.
Kylian Mbappe ‘Refuses To Talk’ To Al Hilal Club
A group from the Saudi club reportedly traveled to Paris to complete the acquisition of Brazilian Malcom from Zenit Saint Petersburg. While in the French capital, they also wished to present Mbappe with their project. Because the player’s entourage, who is 24 years old, “refused any discussions with the representatives of the Saudi club,” L’Equipe continued, “this approach will not succeed.”
The newspaper continued, “The captain of Les Bleus has never considered this option.” Riyadh-based Mbappe had never indicated a desire to join the rapidly expanding Saudi league, but PSG had permitted Al Hilal to begin negotiations with him.
Mbappe has one year left on his PSG contract, and the club would prefer that he go now than for nothing the next summer. However, he won’t agree to a new contract, and the French champions believe he has already agreed to join Real Madrid in 2019. It is widely believed that Real intended to sign Mbappe for free the following season, luring him with an enormous signing fee so they wouldn’t have to compensate PSG in any way. When they left him off of their team to tour Japan and South Korea last weekend, the French club’s conflict with Mbappe reached a new high.
There have been rumors that if Mbappe cannot work out a deal with PSG, he won’t be chosen for a full season. Mbappe, who has scored 212 goals in 260 games for the club, is still the second-most expensive player in history, just behind his PSG teammate Neymar.
In August 2017, he transferred from Monaco to PSG on a season-long loan while still a youngster. The next year in a 180 million euro transfer, the shift became permanent. Only Neymar, a Brazilian who paid PSG 222 million euros in 2017, commands a higher price.
Lionel Messi, the third superstar from PSG, joined MLS team Inter Miami at the close of the previous campaign. Despite winning the French championship, the trio was unable to stop PSG from being eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich in the last 16 stage last season.
Al Hilal is one of the few clubs that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia owns. This summer, they already acquired central defensemen Ruben Neves from Wolves and Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea.
