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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)'s UEFA Champions League elimination against Real Madrid could be the final nail in the coffin of Kylian Mbappe's stint in France.
The 23-year-old forward was PSG's best player in the tie. He can hardly be blamed for the Parisian club's exit after scoring both their goals in the 3-2 aggregate defeat against the record 13-time winners.
Kylian Mbappe is in the final six months of his contract and could leave PSG for free this summer. A potential exit would see him depart as the club's second-highest scorer, behind Edinson Cavani (200). The Frenchman has scored 158 goals and provided 78 assists in 208 games since arriving at the club in 2017.
Is Kylian Mbappe's time at PSG coming to an end?
PSG paid €145 million to AS Monaco to bring the Frenchman to the Parc des Princes. The fact that he could soon leave for free comes as a hammer blow, considering the Parisian club had a mammoth offer on the table for Mbappe last summer.
Despite the forward having only one year left on his contract at the time, Real Madrid reportedly offered €180 million for Mbappe's services. The French giants rejected the approach, though, and must now live with the consequences.
Mbappe has scored 26 goals and provided 17 assists in 36 games for the club this season, so replacing his production won't be easy.
Fortunately for PSG, their spending power is unparalleled, and the French club can be expected to bring in a high-quality replacement. On that note, here's a look at five players they could target this summer:
#5 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
Replacing Mbappe with perhaps the only other young star close to his level would be a masterstroke from PSG. With 80 goals and 21 assists in 80 games for Borussia Dortmund, 21-year-old Norwegian striker Erling Haaland is a goalscoring machine.
Tall, quick, powerful and blessed with a thunderous left foot, Haaland is already close to being a complete package. The striker's release clause is reportedly set at €75 million, which seems like a bargain considering his young age and unique skillset.
However, reports from the Daily Mail claim Manchester City have all but agreed personal terms with the Norwegian. While Haaland would be the perfect replacement for Mbappe, only a late coup from PSG would see him arrive in Paris.
#4 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Manchester City's 27-year-old wideman Raheem Sterling is out of contract in 2023, meaning he could potentially be on the move this summer. Sterling has gone off the boil in the last few seasons but is still City's second-highest scorer this season, with 13 goals. The England international remains a real threat, thanks to his pace, dribbling and directness.
He has scored 127 goals and provided 91 assists in 326 games for Manchester City.
The wideman is not only vastly experienced but also consistently gets into goalscoring positions with his clever movement. Sterling's tendency to operate on the left means he could potentially slot seamlessly into Kylian Mbappe's spot.
Ligue 1's relatively open style of play could allow the wideman to thrive, although he won't come cheap (he is currently valued at €85 million by Transfermarkt).
#3 Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)
Arguably the most likely and affordable option, Ousmane Dembele will be out of contract at Barcelona this summer.
The 24-year-old Frenchman's time in Spain has been plagued by injuries, which have restricted him to 137 games (32 goals, 28 assists) in nearly five years. The versatile winger moved to Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for €140 million.
Dembele and Barcelona had an ugly standoff during the winter window, with the club desperate to get him off their books to reduce their wage bill. As a result, Dembele is likely to be available for free at the end of the campaign. A return home to France might be exactly what he could need to rejuvenate his career.
#2 Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Just a season ago, Marcus Rashford had 21 goals and 15 assists across competitions for Manchester United. He played in all but one of their league games in 2020-21.
In 2021-22, though, Rashford has just five goals and two assists in 26 appearances and is reportedly unsettled at the club. It has been a shocking fall from grace for the 24-year-old Englishman, who came through the academy at Old Trafford and is one of United's own.
After battling a shoulder injury for most of 2021, he barely featured at Euro 2020 and now finds himself in the worst form of his career. Rashford is out of contract next June, meaning if United don't sell him this summer, they risk losing him for free in 2023.
Fabrizio Romano recently reported that PSG were keeping tabs on Rashford as a potential replacement for Kylian Mbappe last summer.
The Englishman has 105 goals for club and country, having played nearly 300 times for the Red Devils. It will be fascinating to see if PSG make a move for the player, valued at €85 million (by Transfermarkt), who was once considered the next big English superstar.
#1 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
One of the biggest stories to break earlier this month was that Mohamed Salah's contract negotiations with Liverpool were not proceeding as planned. The 29-year-old Egyptian superstar is out of contract in 2023, and there has been considerable noise surrounding his future at Anfield since the start of the season.
With 28 goals and ten assists in 35 games across competitions this season, Salah has arguably been the best player in the world. The forward has netted 153 times in 238 games for the Reds and continues to add to his game.
Valued at €100 million (by Transfermarkt), Salah would not come cheap, though. However, the wideman is not getting any younger, and Liverpool would hate to lose him for free next year.
Fabrizio Romano has reported Salah wants to continue at Liverpool, which means it would still be a shock to see him depart Merseyside. However, as PSG's acquisition of Lionel Messi showed, stranger things have happened in the game.
It remains to be seen if Salah remains at Anfield beyond next summer.
