23 August 2023 , 09:21
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Manchester United could swoop for Kylian Mbappe if Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani's takeover is completed as expected.
It's claimed Sheikh Jassim has won the race to finalise a £6billion purchase of the Red Devils. The mega-rich Qatari is thought to have held off competition from INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, nine months after the Glazers first put the Premier League club up for sale.
Sheikh Jassim is set to complete his takeover in October, which rules out the chance of United signing Mbappe before the ongoing transfer window slams shut on September 1. Yet the 24-year-old World Cup winner could be up for grabs in a year's time.
Mbappe wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires next summer, with Real Madrid leading the race for his signature. Yet PSG are determined to tie him down to a new deal to stop him leaving the French capital on a free transfer.
As reported by Spanish outlet El Debate, PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi is trying to persuade Mbappe to sign a new contract with a €250million (£213m) release clause. That way, Mbappe gets his transfer wish and PSG don't lose their prized asset for nothing.
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Al-Khelaifi told reporters in July: "Our position is very clear. If Kylian Mbappe wants to stay - and we want him to stay - he needs to sign a new contract. We cannot let the best player in the world right now leave for free. That is impossible."
Yet Real are thought to be unwilling to pay more than €175m (£149m) for the France international. That could deter Mbappe from signing a new contract with PSG, but it could also rule the Spanish giants out of the transfer race if he puts pen to paper.
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Sheikh Jassim is expected to hand Erik ten Hag a huge transfer budget. Whether they pay PSG a transfer fee or offer Mbappe a lucrative contract as a free agent, United are set to be competitive in the transfer market again with the Qatari's cash.
And rumours of Sheikh Jassim's desire to bring Mbappe to Old Trafford as a marque signing continue to emerge on the continent. As recently as last Friday, Spanish outlet El Nacional claimed United are interested in making Mbappe their 'franchise player'.
Sheikh Jassim has previously said he wants to "return the club to its former glories both on and off the pitch". Signing Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in last year's World Cup final and is PSG's record scorer, would go a long way to achieving that.
According to The Sun, Sheikh Jassim has won the takeover race and an announcement could be made as early as next month. United have not commented on the reports.