What's the story?
According to The Independent, Real Madrid and Barcelona have now entered the race to sign Europe's hottest young striker, Kylian Mbappe. The AS Monaco youngster was a target for four Premier League giants with Manchester City and Arsenal being the touted as the most likely destinations.
But the La Liga clubs have now entered the race after having witnessed the 18-year-old's performances against Pep Guardiola's side in the UEFA Champions League this week. The Bondy-born forward will reportedly cost any interested party a whopping £75 million – much, much more than Anthony Martial demanded a few years ago.
In case you didn't know...
Mbappe was already subject to a bid even before he could establish himself as an AS Monaco first-teamer with Manchester City reportedly having bid £40 million last summer. Pep Guardiola and his team were so convinced with Mbappe's performances for in the youth ranks that they felt the teenager was worth every penny.
Should history have panned out differently, Mbappe would have already have been in the Premier League having attended a trial at Chelsea around seven years ago. He also tried out with Real Madrid a few years later under then-youth-manager Zinedine Zidane.
But he chose to stay at his home club AS Bondy and subsequently sealed a transfer to AS Monaco.
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The heart of the matter
With a real shortage of quality strikers coming out of Europe, all of the 'big’ guns are moving quickly to tie-down exciting young forwards even if it means they cost a fortune. Real Madrid and Barcelona have had terrible luck in signing good strikers in recent windows but seem to be convinced that Mbappe is a one-in-a-million talent.
Manchester City and Arsenal retain the most number of interest with both manager, Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger, big fans of the 18-year-old. Wenger even went the distance in comparing the youngster to a ‘young Thierry Henry’ – a praise he's always held back when describing young strikers.
What's next?
Given Mbappe will only have two years left on his contract with AS Monaco at the end of the current season, it seems the perfect time for the club to start a bidding war. Should it come to that, Manchester City and Real Madrid seem to be the clubs that could win his signature.
Sportskeeda's take
Kylian Mbappe is destined for the very top and could move to a new club in the summer. Premier League clubs have the kind of money to buy him given they'll recuperate most of it from the new TV deal but the draw and the history of having to join Real Madrid and Barcelona will also play on his mind. It's going to be an exciting transfer window.
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