Opinion: Three possible destinations for Kylian Mbappe this summer

AS Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe is regarded as one of the most sought after strikers in the transfer market following his breakout season under Leonardo Jardim last term. The teenager was largely a substitute in the first half of the 2016/17 season before he was integrated into the squad during the injury absence of Radamel Falcao. Both Falcao and Valere Germain had cemented their places as the first-choice combination up front, but the emergence of Mbappe meant that Germain had to be dropped to the bench on Falcao’s comeback.

Mbappe ended the season with an excellent tally of 26 goals across all competitions, and his achievement has already led to comparisons with Gunners great Thierry Henry, who remains France’s all-time goalscorer. With Mbappe likely on the move, Calcio Insider looks into three possible destinations for the teenage wonderkid.

Real Madrid:

The European champions are understood to hold an interest in Mbappe, but they may have to offload one of their star performers in order to sanction the deal. Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez are some of the notable names who could make way, but Mbappe could still find first-team opportunities hard to come by. As a result, a world-record move could be dependent on the assurance of regular playing time next term.

Paris Saint-Germain:

The French giants could not continue their dominance in Ligue 1 thanks to Monaco’s stunning season. Edinson Cavani led the goalscoring charts with 49 last season, but the Capital outfit are still looking for an ideal companion. Angel di Maria looks to have a verbal agreement in place to join Inter Milan, and this could encourage Les Parisiens, who are said to have met the player as well as his father. Despite this, Monaco are likely to restrict the attacker from moving to a direct league rival.

Arsenal:

The third club on the list. The Gunners have held an interest in Mbappe since the start of last season. Wenger had initially sought to sign Mbappe on a Bosman prior to him inking a professional contract at Stade Louis II. 12 months later, the north London club are back on the hunt for Mbappe with manager Arsene Wenger desperate to end the club’s long wait for the Premier League. One stumbling block is likely to be the transfer fee with the Gunners restrictive with their transfer budget over the years.

Image – Getty