MADRID, SPAIN – 2019/11/26: Kylian Mbappe of PSG seen in action during the UEFA Champions League match, between Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.
(Final score; Real Madrid 2:2 Paris Saint Germain). (Photo by Manu Reino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Real Madrid growing confident a deal can be reached before deadline
Real Madrid has reportedly made a second, and improved, bid as they continue their efforts to sign PSG star Kylian Mbappe. President Florentino Perez seems to be following the strategy of “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.”
According to ESPN, the Spanish giants submitted an offer of €170 million with an additional €10 million in add-ons. The same report claims that while PSG has not yet responded to the latest offer, it is expected to be rejected.
PSG already rejected an initial bid of €160 million as the French club has set a valuation of €220 million on Mbappe. They have not wavered from their stance and will only sell the forward for that price.
Leonardo, the PSG sporting director, confirmed the club’s rejection and said if Mbappe was to leave, it would be on their terms.
“Yes, we did so without replying,” Leonardo said. “We won’t be held hostage by anyone. If someone wants to leave and meets with our conditions, then we’ll look at the situation. We’ve built a dream scenario for our players this summer and will ensure no one destroys that. We feel that the offer is way off Kylian’s current market value and as we still owe AS Monaco some of the original transfer fee, we deem the offer to be insufficient”.
Source: Diario AS
Leonardo also took the time to criticize Real Madrid’s strategy with regards to their player and said their offer was merely posturing to show they went after Mbappe as they made their bid with only a few days left before the close of the transfer window.
The second bid may be a sign that it wasn’t posturing after all.
With Mbappe’s refusal to sign a new deal, it may in the best interest of PSG to call Real Madrid’s bluff and accept an offer. Especially if the Parisian side still owes Monaco part of the original transfer fee.
Over the past couple of years, PSG has been able to flex their financial muscle and sign any player they want. They now find themselves on the other side of things and it is very apparent they do not like it.
It will be interesting to see where Madrid come up with the cash if PSG indeed do accept an offer when the club is one of the driving forces behind a European Super League because, in their minds, football is dying and big clubs need money.
The deadline for both sides to come to an agreement is Aug. 31. It PSG indeed reject a second proposal, the question then becomes if Madrid make a third bid and how much they are willing to pay.
