Real Madrid have made a stunning move to sign Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, raising the mouthwatering possibility of Cristiano Ronaldo joining Lionel Messi at the French club.
Reports in France claimed PSG had rejected Real's opening bid of €160million (£137m) for Mbappe, who has one year remaining on his contract and has been reluctant to agree a new deal.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has said they are confident of keeping Mbappe, although even the Qatari-backed club would be hard-pressed to reject an improved bid for a player who could leave for free next summer – particularly after agreeing to cover Messi's enormous wages.
Mbappe's departure could pave the way for PSG to make a stunning move for Ronaldo, 36, who is angling to leave Juventus before the end of the month.
Signing the Portuguese following the capture of his long-time rival Messi would see the two greatest players of the last two decades united.
Madrid have long coveted Mbappe, who cost PSG €180m from Monaco in 2018, and the 22-year-old France international is said to be eager to make the move to Spain this summer, rather than wait until next year.
There has been little indication that Mbappe will agree a new deal at PSG, despite the astonishing capture of Messi, and if he does not leave this month it would create a frenzy for his signature in January or next summer.
Madrid have been hit hard financially by the pandemic, particularly as they renovate the Santiago Bernabeu, but they have shed big earners from the wage bill this summer in Sergio Ramos, who joined PSG, and Manchester United's new defender Raphael Varane.
