The move everyone has been waiting for from Kylian Mbappe has arrived. PSG finally found out officially that he won't be staying at the club after the 2023/24 season, and all eyes immediately turned to Real Madrid as the main contenders for the French striker's services.
After several disappointing summers, falling to the desires and demands of the player and club, it will be up to the French international to accept Madrid's offer if he really wants to wear the white shirt.
Significant salary decrease
If Mbappe really wants to realise his dream and bask in the glory that a historic team like the 14-time European champions can bring him, he will have to scale down his financial demands, as the offer is a far cry from the €73 million he earns annually in Paris.
According to Flashscore's sources, the salary Real Madrid will offer him will not exceed €25m, including bonuses. This would put him on par with other stars in the squad, such as Brazilian Vinicius Jr (23) and England's Jude Bellingham (20).
Club president Florentino Perez, whose second term in office has been characterised by an intense focus on the club's finances, is clear that he will not create a split in the dressing room by ripping up the wage structure that has worked well during this period of success.
As a result, Mbappe must accept that at Real Madrid he will be a player like any other and that there is no room for egos in the dressing room. A reality quite different from the one he experiences in Paris, where he has been placed at sporting director level.
A record bonus
In the same vein, the Frenchman can take the example of Bellingham. After arriving from Dortmund without a fuss, the Brit perfectly understood what the club was all about from day one. With effort, hard work, respect and quality, he has won the affection of his teammates and the fans.
Even though Mbappe's salary will decrease in the Spanish capital, Los Blancos are well aware that acquiring him on a free transfer will not be cheap - far from it. It will be much cheaper than paying a transfer fee to PSG, but Flashscore has learned that the signing bonus the player will receive will set a record, as it could exceed €100 million.
The entourage issue
Unlike in previous years, Mbappe is assuming that if his goal is to win the Champions League, he must leave Paris. To do so, he understands that it is essential that he takes personal control of operations and that the decision on his fate rests exclusively with him.
It is clear from this key factor that his mother, Fayza Lamari, will be left out of the negotiations. However, she will certainly try to persuade him to get a bigger contract than the one he has at PSG. Something closer to €50m per season.
The number 10 awaits
Mbappe's arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu will delight many fans, but it will be accompanied by a painful farewell - that of Luka Modric (38). His bit-part role in Ancelotti's plans finally convinced him that his time at Madrid was coming to an end.
The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner is living out his final months at the club, and this is partly linked to the brand new recruit that should be finalised for next season. Everything is in place for the PSG player to inherit the number 10 shirt after the departure of the Croatian magician.
