Paris Saint-Germain attacker Kylian Mbappe is reportedly demanding an astronomical wage of around £1.25m per week from any potential suitors this summer.
The long-running saga surrounding the Frenchman's future could finally come to an end in the not-so-distant future, as he has now entered the last six months of his Parisiens contract.
As such, Mbappe is currently free to open discussions with foreign clubs over a pre-contract agreement, having refused to trigger the 12-month extension in his deal with the French champions.
Public Investment Fund-backed clubs in the Saudi Pro League would be able to bow to Mbappe's financial demands, but the 25-year-old ruled out a switch to the Middle East over the summer when Al-Hilal came calling with a world-record £259m bid.
Should Mbappe indeed call time on his PSG career once the season is done and dusted, Liverpool and Real Madrid are considered the two most likely destinations for the ex-Monaco protege to head to on a free transfer.
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However, Mbappe's signature will not come so easy, as according to The Telegraph, the attacker's entourage want their client to be paid a whopping £64.5m a year after tax, equivalent to approximately £1.24m a week.
Neither Real nor Liverpool would be expected to shatter their wage structure to facilitate Mbappe's arrival, and the striker would also expect a mammoth signing-on bonus given the absence of a transfer fee.
Mbappe unexpectedly turned his nose up to a move to Real Madrid in 2022 to sign a new two-year deal with the option of a third at the Parc des Princes, but following last summer's revelations, PSG worked around the clock to try to sell him.
A move to the Bernabeu was considered realistic after Karim Benzema's switch to Al-Ittihad, but with Real making one marquee signing in the shape of Jude Bellingham, Los Blancos settled on the loan capture of Joselu from Espanyol.
Real have the option to make Joselu's deal permanent, and Bellingham has also made an incredible start to life in La Liga with 17 goals in all tournaments, but Mbappe has never left their radar.
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It was reported last weekend that Real had come to an agreement with Mbappe over a summer move, but the France international's entourage quickly denied the existence of such a pact.
Mbappe supposedly has until the middle of January to give Carlo Ancelotti's side a final answer, otherwise Los Blancos will end their long-standing interest in the 25-year-old once and for all.
Meanwhile, Liverpool may be in the market for a new big-money frontman if Mohamed Salah - the Reds' current top owner at £350,000 per week - is successfully lured to the Saudi Pro League.
Liverpool turned down a late £150m bid from Al-Ittihad for Salah during the summer transfer window, but the Egypt international is out of contract at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
Mbappe has struck 25 goals in 24 matches for PSG in the current campaign, having been reintroduced back into the squad after briefly being forced to train with other transfer-listed players.
Ben Knapton
