Real Madrid demand PSG to pay €250 million if they want to sign 27-year-old star - Reports

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) could reportedly have to shell out €250 million to sign Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy.

Mendy has been transfer-listed by Los Blancos, but only PSG have shown interest in his services. According to El Nacional, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will not entertain any negotiations for the player due to his fractured relationship with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Perez is still believed to hold a grudge over the transfer saga involving Kylian Mbappe last summer, where the Frenchman rejected a move to Madrid at the 11th hour. Hence, the only way for Les Parisiens to sign Mendy would be to meet his €250 million release clause.

That will surely be a major hindrance for PSG, who are aware that they have to tread carefully if they want to avoid breaching financial fair play regulations. Mendy's lack of finesse in the attacking third seems to have disappointed those in Madrid's decision-making chambers.

The club want to recover the €50 million transfer fee they paid to sign the Frenchman from Lyon in 2019 at the behest of then-manager Zinedine Zidane. Despite his shortcomings, the 27-year-old has played 25 games across competitions this season, largely due to a lack of competition in his position.

The numbers could have been more had he not suffered a muscle injury earlier this year, from which he has recovered now. The versatility of centre-back David Alaba has allowed Carlo Ancelotti to use him at left-back in Mendy's absence.

However, the Spanish giants are looking for a permanent upgrade in that area, with Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies on their radar.

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Ex-PSG manager leading race to become next Real Madrid boss

Carlo Ancelotti is facing an uncertain future at Real Madrid. The Italian's contract runs out at the end of next season, but he could leave this summer.

Brazilian FA president Ednaldo Rodrigues has confirmed that Ancelotti is the frontrunner to become Brazil's next manager. The Selecao are currently managed by interim boss Ramon Menezes after Tite's resignation in December following a quarterfinal exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

In that scenario, former PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as a leading candidate to become Madrid's next coach. According to Gianluca Di Marzio (h/t Managing Madrid), the Argentine is the favorite to replace Ancelotti at Real Madrid.

Pochettino managed Tottenham Hotspur between 2014 and 2019 before taking over as PSG manager in January 2021. He won the Ligue 1 title the following season but was sacked by the club later that summer. 'Poch' is currently without a job.