KYLIAN MBAPPE will accept a huge pay cut to join Real Madrid, according to reports.
The Frenchman is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Several clubs have already expressed an interest in signing him on a free transfer, including Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool.
However, Mbappe is reportedly “leaning towards” joining Real Madrid.
Los Blancos have been pushing to sign the 25-year-old since his Monaco days.
Mbappe came close to making the move in 2022, but shocked the football world by announcing a two-year extension with PSG instead.
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He caused a stir among the PSG camp last summer after refusing to sign a new contract.
The Parisians subsequently accepted a huge £259million offer from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for him, but Mbappe rejected the move.
He was axed from the squad for a brief period and sent to train with PSG’s “undesirables” – a group of players not wanted by the club.
However, he made a return at the start of the Ligue 1 campaign and has since scored 31 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions.
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Real Madrid have already proposed a deal to Mbappe ahead of the summer, but his representatives have reportedly been left unimpressed.
The Frenchman is set to receive a total of £62m plus bonuses from PSG for the 2023-24 campaign, but Real Madrid are unable to match that.
According to Spanish outlet AS, the La Liga giants are hoping to pay Mbappe less than his £42.8m – around £827,000-a-week – starting point.
However, he is still set to become the club’s highest-paid player, surpassing Jude Bellingham by a significant margin.
The England international currently rakes in around £220,000-a-week – £11.4m-a-year – at the Santiago Bernabeu, much less that what Mbappe is demanding.
In fact, the difference between the two players’ weekly wages would be around £358,000, roughly £138,000 MORE than Bellingham’s standard weekly earnings.
Mbappe reportedly also wants several bonuses added into his contract.
The World Cup winner joined PSG in a £154m transfer from Monaco in 2018 and has since scored 243 goals and provided 105 assists in 290 appearances.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
