To be or not to be, that is the question at the moment as the Mbappe transfer saga rages. Real Madrid want their man one way or the other and are trying to push it to the wire while PSG continues to play hardball in a game that the odds are stacked heavily against them.
In this transfer poker, one man remains quiet, watching the board with knowledge of the next move.
Kylian Mbappe is the man in the middle of it all, and he holds the four aces. One word from him will bring an end to this saga. A press conference telling the whole what he wants, to stay or leave, and the matter resolved, yet he remains quiet.
PSG confident he will stay
With less than 12 months to run on his contract, Mbappe has refused to sign a new contract amid speculations about his future.
The status of the protracted transfer to Real Madrid continues to change by the day. With less than 48 hours to the end of the transfer window, the Parisians have remained confident that they will keep their man.
On Sunday night, the 22-year-old played in the game against Reims. He bagged a brace to see his team nick all three points. Pochettino seems to draw confidence from the professional attitude of Mbappe towards the transfer despite his refusal to append his signature to a new contract.
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Pochettino claims news about his move away from PSG are rumours. He is adamant the World Cup winner remains their player.
Two bids rejected, and an ultimatum
Recently, PSG Sportingctor Leonardo confirmed that the club is ready to let Mbappe go, but only on their terms. Speaking to the press, he said that the club received and rejected an initial bid of €160 million. An improved offer of €170 million and €10 million in add-ons is yet to receive the desired expectations.
Real Madrid have given an ultimatum of Monday evening, or they'll walk away from the deal. If things pan out that way, then Mbappe will become a free agent in about four months. Real Madrid will then be able to negotiate a pre-contract with him.
The mood in the Real Madrid camp is that of patience, knowing that the ball is in PSG's court.
Pochettino hopes to count on the services of Kylian Mbappe this season as the Parisian club are pulling out all the stops to keep him.
Since the 'Galactico' era at Real Madrid, no team has been able to bring together a collection of stars like PSG have done this season. The thought of losing one of their prized assets is galling for them.
It's less than 48 hours until the transfer window ends but a lot could still happen before then. Make sure to stay updated with the latest transfer news on Betpack on the go!
By :
Steven D. Thompson
