Transfer Talk: Al-Hilal's Mbappe bid won't Kyl Real dream

Kylian Mbappe's future continues to be one of football's biggest talking points.

The France captain, 24, has made it clear that he will not be extending his lucrative contract at Paris Saint-Germain, which expires at the end of next season.

He wants to leave on a free transfer in the summer of 2024, which was seen as an act of betrayal by club chiefs and resulted in him being omitted from their pre-season tour.

With Mbappe mania gripping the transfer market, we take a look at the options available to the striker.

World record bid

The footballing world was rocked to its core on Monday when news emerged of Al-Hilal's world-record £259million bid to sign the 70-cap international on a one-year deal.

PSG have reportedly accepted the offer to try and rule out the possibility of Mbappe leaving for free, allowing the Saudi side to begin negotiations with the No7 — who could earn upwards of £600m in salary.

Al-Hilal have already added some big names from Europe to their squad in Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Kalidou Koulibaly.

But if the 2018 World Cup winner were to move to the Saudi Pro League in his prime, it would represent another watershed moment for the nation — perhaps even bigger than Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer to Al-Nassr.

And it is a move which could assist Mbappe in his aim to eventually join Real Madrid.

The Real deal

While the Saudi offer is currently the talk of the town, Los Blancos are still firmly in the mix.

Mbappe looked destined to join Real before signing a new two-year deal at PSG in 2022 — and those in power at the Parc des Princes believe he has already agreed to join the LaLiga outfit for free next summer.

The concern only makes the one-year Saudi offer look more logical for all parties involved and while some may view Al-Hilal as a wasted season on the striker's behalf, it is better than a campaign full of friction in Paris.

Carlo Ancelotti's side would also have to wait a full year to finally get their Karim Benzema replacement but for a player of Mbappe's quality and age with no transfer fee involved, it would surely be worth it.

Real have invested heavily to bring Jude Bellingham to Madrid this summer and securing two mega-money moves in the same window may be beyond them.

Mbappe vs Haaland

Al-Hilal and Real appear the most likely next destinations, but the lure of the Premier League cannot be definitively ruled out — despite the fact English teams could not compete with the financial power of the Saudis.

It would be an opportunity for Mbappe to further establish his rivalry with Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in the five-time Ligue 1 Golden Boot winner, although Manchester United have ruled themselves out of the race for his coveted signature.

PSG swansong

Mbappe playing for PSG, whom he referred to as a "divisive club" earlier this month, in 2023-24 looks unlikely, although it remains a possibility until a move is made official.

The Paris native expressed his desire to represent the team next season in a Twitter statement posted on June 13.

He wrote: "I have already said that I will continue next season at PSG where I am very happy."

But the damage to his relationship with club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who has demanded that he signs a new contract if he wants to stay, since then suggests Ligue 1 will be losing its prized asset this summer.