"I’m ready to unretire for this one year salary $776m" - Usain Bolt reacts to Al-Hilal's offer for Kylian Mbappe

Jamaican track & field legend Usain Bolt has joked about coming out of retirement in light of the massive financial package Kylian Mbappe is reportedly offered by a Saudi Arabian football club.

Mbappe has once again been the subject of intense transfer speculation, with the Frenchman reportedly informing Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) that he isn't interested in extending his contract, which expires next summer.

With PSG reluctant to lose Mbappe on a free transfer, they are said to be open to selling him right now. On that note, Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal are said to have made him a staggering offer that will see him earn $776 million in salary for one season.

On top of that, Al Hilal have also offered PSG a world record transfer fee of $332 million to sign Mbappe, according to CNN.

The financial details of Mbappe's potential move to the Middle East have led to Bolt joking about coming out of retirement, only if he was offered similar money.

Bolt isn't the first athlete to react to news of the huge contractual offer made to Mbappe.

NBA stars LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Andre Drummond, among many others, also reacted with humour to the information.

Rejection by Lionel Messi makes Kylian Mbappe’s signing a ‘matter of honor’ for Saudi Arabia: Reports

According to a report by journalist Bruno Andrade, Saudi Arabia view signing Kylian Mbappe as a "matter of honour" after they failed in their pursuit of Lionel Messi.

With his Paris Saint-Germain contract expiring in the summer, Messi was heavily linked with a move to the Middle East, where he would have locked horns with long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo. However, he rejected them and instead opted to go to the United States of America, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal with MLS side Inter Miami CF.

Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have made an offer to take Mbappe on a one year deal, which would allow him to achieve his dream of moving to Real Madrid next summer.

If Mbappe leaves PSG ahead of the 2023-24 season, he will depart the Parisians as their all-time top scorer with 212 goals in 260 games.

About the author

Anirudh is an Indian sports journalist at Sportskeeda with a total work experience of around 2 years. A Journalism graduate and a club-level Cricket and Chess player, he combined both of his passions and eventually took sports writing professionally. His methods are meticulous; he sticks only to official sources, double-checks all information, contacts relevant stakeholders for information and attends events personally to ensure that his content is most accurate and publish worthy.

Anirudh started his journey as an Indian sports enthusiast watching a match on TV with his parents during his early days. His all-time favorite Indian athlete is Paan Singh Tomar whose interesting life as a national-level steeplechaser-turned dacoit shifted Anirudh’s interest from Cricket to Indian Sports. Neeraj Chopra becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win gold at the Olympics is a memory very close to his heart.

A lover of the outdoors, when not writing, Anirudh likes to go hiking and camping. He also loves to swim, especially in natural water bodies like lakes and creeks.

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