Kylian Mbappe entourage slowing down Real Madrid deal amid large financial gap to PSG

Real Madrid had made it clear earlier in the season that they were keen to avoid a lengthy transfer saga in their attempts to sign Kylian Mbappe, but things are not going as well as they might have hoped. After a flurry of reports that Mbappe had decided to play at Real Madrid next season, no agreement has been found.

Los Blancos have offered Mbappe far less money than they did previously, which was around €26m per year in salary and a €130m in a signing bonus. Paris Saint-Germain on the other hand have given Mbappe options over his renewal, offering him a choice of contract length, and a salary of €75m after tax, before taking into account any bonuses.+

Real Madrid President Florentino Perez has been handling negotiations personally, and was initially optimistic about a deal, communicating as much to Carlo Ancelotti. His argument to convince Mbappe has been that he will take the next step in terms of reputation, marketing and on the pitch.

Yet PSG are still maintaining hope, and Mbappe’s entourage – read here his agent and mother Fayza Lamari – have doubts about the offer from Spain being the best there is. The Athletic say that is a big part of the reason the deal had not been done, although Los Blancos expect a response soon. They have made their terms clear.

It may well be that Lamari is simply trying to secure more money for her client and son, and even though the decision has been made, is still trying to squeeze a better deal from Real Madrid. They will not be able to come close to PSG’s offer, but the longer the deal goes on, the more anxiety it will create in the talks.