Kylian Mbappe in Saudi Arabia? Al-Hilal offers $333m for PSG striker

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Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal has offered EUR300m ($333m ) for French striker Kylian Mbappe, according to a person familiar with the offer.

The 24-year-old striker has yet to make any decision on his next club, with only one year left on his contract at Qatari-backed Paris-Saint Germain.

Spokespeople for Al-Hilal and PSG declined to comment.

The attempt to recruit Mbappe — arguably the world’s most exciting talent — comes after a spending spree from Saudi Arabia that has upended a number of sports. Al-Hilal has already signed Kalidou Koulibaly and Rúben Neves from English Premier League clubs this summer, and Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in January.

Kylian Mbappe’s PSG run

Relations between PSG and Mbappe soured recently after the player declined to extend his contract by one year until 2025. The player’s decision even prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to react, saying he would “try to push” Mbappe to stay with the Paris club.

PSG announced that Mbappe would not be included in the club’s upcoming tour in Asia. Speculations that the player accepted an offer from Spain’s Real Madrid led the French club to put him up for sale immediately instead of letting him move for free next year, according to L’Equipe.

Mbappe had until July 31 to decide whether he would extend his contract with PSG.

Mbappe moved to Paris from Monaco in 2017, after the two teams reached an agreement valuing him at EUR180m. He has since consolidated his standing as one of the world’s best players.

The footballer burst onto the scene in 2015 as a 16-year-old with Monaco, helping the team win the Ligue 1 championship. He was named the league’s best young player and claimed another four national titles with PSG. He was an integral part of the France team that won the FIFA World Cup in 2018.