Real Madrid eye move for 'new Kylian Mbappe' after PSG star snubbed move - Reports

Real Madrid are reportedly eyeing a move for AS Monaco striker Malamine Efekele after being rejected by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Kylian Mbappe last year.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner with France was set to move to Real Madrid last summer on a free transfer. However, he turned down a move at the eleventh hour.

Instead, he signed a three-year contract at the Parc des Princes, leaving Los Merengues high and dry in their search for a new striker. They are yet to sign a centre-forward who could effectively be Karim Benzema's successor.

They have identified Efekele as an ideal target to lead their frontline in the near future. The 18-year-old could be one of the many high-profile signings president Florentino Perez has sanctioned for teenage players.

The La Liga giants signed Eder Militao, Rodrygo Goes, Federico Valverde, and Vinicius Junior when they were below the age of 20. The quartet are now a very big part of manager Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid squad.

Efekele has been dubbed the 'new Kylian Mbappe' due to similarities in their playing style, nationality, and club. The young Frenchman can play anywhere across the frontline and represents AS Monaco — the club Mbappe played for between 2013 and 2017.

Efekele, of course, won't be a signing made for the present. He is yet to represent the Monegasques at the senior level and currently plays for their U19 team.

Nevertheless, he could be a sizable investment on Real Madrid's part. The Ligue 1 outfit apparently value him at €25 million.

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Angel di Maria questions PSG's overreliance on former Real Madrid target Kylian Mbappe

Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) winger Angel di Maria has criticized the club's overreliance on Kylian Mbappe despite the presence of Lionel Messi in the team.

It is no secret that the France international was made arguably one of the most powerful players on the planet last summer when he penned a new deal. PSG seem to value him a lot on the pitch as well — perhaps a little too much.

This is according to Di Maria, who left PSG for Juventus on a free transfer last year and is Messi's teammate at international level. Speaking to ESPN Argentina as transcribed by L'Equipe (h/t Get Football News France), he said:

"They have given Mbappé all of this power, all the while, the best player in history (Messi) is playing next to him. It’s difficult to dispute that. They’ve given him all this power because he is French, because he’s from there and because he’s won a World Cup."

Kylian Mbappe has registered a staggering tally of 25 goals and six assists in 27 games across competitions this campaign.