Staff Reporter.
France captain Kylian Mbappe will join LaLiga giants Real Madrid when his contract with Paris St Germain finishes at the end of the season, Le Parisien and ESPN reported on Saturday.
Mbappe said last year he would not renew his contract at the Ligue 1 side when it expired at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, allowing him to move on to another club on a free transfer.
French newspaper Le Parisien and ESPN, citing sources, said the 25-year-old striker would announce a pre-contract agreement with the 14-times European champions next week.
Media reports last September said Mbappe had agreed to forego loyalty bonuses worth up to 100 million euros ($107.84 million) to leave PSG as a free agent.
Mbappe was heavily linked with a move to Real in 2022 but announced a contract extension with PSG just weeks before the transfer window opened.
The 2018 World Cup winner joined PSG as a 17-year-old in 2017 from AS Monaco, where he has since become the club’s all-time leading scorer, and led the French side to five league titles.
Real Madrid has long had a history of having some of soccer’s biggest superstars in its ranks.
The 2005/06 Galácticos squad boasted the likes of David Beckham, Ronaldo Nazário and Zidane, among countless other megastars. Fast-forward five years and record-breaking signings Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká were also plying their trade for Los Blancos.