Despite a failed €200m bid in the 2021 summer window and expectations of a free transfer in 2022 being dashed by Mbappe's contract extension with PSG, the situation took a turn in 2023.
Mbappe chose not to trigger the contract extension option, prompting PSG to actively seek his sale, including accepting a record-breaking €300m bid from Al-Hilal. However, Mbappe showed no interest in the move, and financial constraints prevented Real Madrid from bringing him in, even after Karim Benzema's departure.
Recent reports suggest that an agreement has now been reached between Real Madrid and Mbappe. The player, who entered the last six months of his contract in January, is free to negotiate with foreign clubs. However, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has emphasized that Mbappe won't leave for free, and the player is also reportedly inclined to avoid such a scenario out of respect for his current club.
Real Madrid, led by Carlo Ancelotti, had set a mid-January deadline for Mbappe to decide on his future, indicating that they would explore other attacking options if no decision was made. With the reported agreement, Mbappe seems closer to a move to the Bernabeu.
Mbappe, PSG's all-time leading scorer in the French Cup with 30 goals, has been prolific, netting 234 goals and providing 100 assists in 283 games for the club over the past six-and-a-half years.
In the 2023-24 season, he has scored 25 goals in 24 matches, including a hat-trick in PSG's recent 9-0 Coupe de France victory over Revel. Bayern Munich's Harry Kane is the only other player with 25 goals in Europe's top five leagues this season, while Real Madrid's top scorer, Jude Bellingham, has 17 goals in all competitions.
