SYDNEY – In a bid to secure a top-class striker, Saudi Arabian soccer team Al-Hilal has made an astounding offer of 300 million euros (US$332 million) for Kylian Mbappe on Monday. The proposal presents the possibility of seeing the France striker join Cristiano Ronaldo in the oil-rich kingdom.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the current club of Kylian Mbappe, has confirmed the offer and granted Al-Hilal permission to initiate direct negotiations with the player. Mbappe, who won the 2018 World Cup, is currently in a contract standoff with PSG after deciding against taking up a 12-month extension on his existing deal. Instead, he intends to become a free agent at the conclusion of the upcoming season, with many speculating he will join Real Madrid.
PSG’s preseason tour of Japan saw Mbappe excluded from the squad as the French club is determined to sell him unless he agrees to sign a new contract. The relationship between Mbappe and PSG has grown increasingly strained, making a new deal seem highly unlikely.
Saudi Arabia has been making significant efforts in recent years to establish its presence in international sports, with previous acquisitions including Cristiano Ronaldo, whose contract reportedly earns him up to US$200 million annually. Additionally, Saudi-funded LIV Golf has disrupted the world of professional golf.
These moves are part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s endeavor to utilize the kingdom’s oil wealth to create new opportunities for Saudi Arabia’s youth. However, some critics view these efforts as “sportswashing,” an attempt to improve the kingdom’s image despite ongoing controversies, including human rights concerns, involvement in Yemen’s long-lasting conflict, and the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, an act that U.S. intelligence agencies have attributed to Prince Mohammed.
Earlier this year, Al-Hilal failed in an attempt to sign Lionel Messi, who ultimately chose to join Inter Miami. However, the bid for Kylian Mbappe would surpass the previous record transfer fee of US$262 million, which PSG paid to acquire Neymar from Barcelona in 2017.
Saudi Arabian teams have intensified their pursuit of star players from Europe’s top leagues, with high-profile signings like Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante. Other prominent names, including Roberto Firmino, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Marcelo Brozovic, have also been lured to the lucrative Saudi league through mega-money offers, aiming to elevate the profile and quality of soccer in the country.
Mbappe, who expressed his intention to fulfill the final year of his contract with PSG, has indicated he plans to leave the club as a free agent next year. PSG, owned by Qatar Sports Investments, aims to secure a transfer fee for the player, highly regarded as one of the few capable of succeeding Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as soccer’s next big star.
With Al-Hilal and other clubs expressing interest in Mbappe, the striker’s omission from PSG’s touring squad in Japan opens the possibility of him being benched in the upcoming season if he does not agree to a new contract or transfer during the current window.
Madrid has been considered a likely destination for Mbappe, with the club having a bid of US$190 million rejected by PSG in 2021. With Real Madrid in need of a top-class forward following Karim Benzema’s departure, they may intensify their pursuit of Mbappe.
Since joining PSG in 2017 from Monaco in a transfer worth a reported US$190 million, Mbappe has become a formidable talent and the subject of significant interest from clubs worldwide. The soccer world now eagerly awaits the outcome of negotiations and Mbappe’s future destination on the field.