Manchester United are set to battle reigning Premier League champions and bitter rivals Manchester City for the signature of Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint Germain, according to a report in The Mirror.
It all stems from the French side once again falling foul of Financial Fair Play. Last summer, PSG purchased Neymar from Barcelona and signed Mbappe from AS Monaco on loan with the condition to buy. The total outlay for these two players reached a staggering £364m, and the reigning Ligue 1 champions could face expulsion from the Champions League and huge fines if found guilty.
That could lead to PSG having to raise money via sales, and Neymar and Mbappe would be atop their list in terms in terms of the funds that they could generate. The latter is now reportedly a target for both Manchester club’s, with Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola both chasing his signature.
If true, one wonders which club Mbappe would plump for, if PSG are forced to sell their prized assets. City certainly would be the most attractive option at present, after their record-breaking Premier League season. As unpalatable as it has frequently been, Guardiola has certainly improved his team, and United are playing catch-up. Yet City already have a plethora of talented options both through the middle and on the wings, with Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane all starring last season.
United’s reported desire to include Martial in any deal could count against them, given that PSG may have to prioritise money over players. The Frenchman wants to leave Old Trafford according to his agent, and a return to his home country would likely we welcomed by the former AS Monaco forward. Whether PSG would go for that, however, is a different story.
It’s difficult to say how much stock should be placed in a story like this, given how easy it is to connect the dots when a club needs money and rivals have funds like City and United do. One to watch though, surely .
