Mbappe garnered interest from Europe’s biggest clubs the moment he burst onto the scene with Monaco in 2016.
The speedy striker settled into life in the Champions League with aplomb and in the summer of 2017 became the second-most expensive footballer in history after joining PSG for £166m.
That is only second to team-mate Neymar, who was bought for £200m, but the Frenchman could well eclipse that if a potential move to Real Madrid prevails.
Los Blancos have a reputation for signing ‘Galacticos’, and Mbappe is viewed as the Ballon d’Or heir once Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s powers begin to wain.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has earmarked the 20-year-old as a future Bernabeu star, but is deliberately keeping the club’s powder dry before planning a pursuit of the forward.
According to Balague, who often garners scoops in the transfer world, Perez has planned the time to strike.
“Mbappe is a target of Real Madrid, one hundred per cent,” the journalist confirmed on his YouTube channel.
“They want Mbappe. They know they won’t get him this summer. PSG have said ‘no chance’ and Mbappe himself has said he’s staying.
“His contract finishes in 2022 and Real Madrid will start attacking and trying to get him from next season.
“His age suggests they’re not in a rush to get him. Florentino Perez is obsessed about one thing.
“He wants players to arrive at 24, 25 or 26, give him a five-, six-year contract, and then [after they reach] 31 give year-by-year contracts to them.
“Those fix, six years are the best of their careers, their money spent in transfer fee can be [split] into those years and it becomes a cheaper acquisition – the goals and titles will mean it’s money well spent.
“If [Perez] has got to get Mbappe when he’s that age, that will be fine by him. While he improves and gets better, they will flirt with him.
“It won’t happen this summer – Real Madrid are convinced it will happen at some point.”
