Real Madrid: It all comes down to 2021 for Kylian Mbappe signing

Real Madrid have made it abundantly clear that Kylian Mbappe is their top transfer target, but it’s time to look at other short-term options.

Kylian Mbappe is coming off another sensational season for PSG, and Real Madrid fans continue to dream of seeing the young France forward at the Santiago Bernabeu in the near future. The 21-year-old scored 18 goals with 5 assists in 20 Ligue 1 appearances with 9 goal contributions in only 446 Champions League minutes.

Zinedine Zidane, Florentino Perez, and the rest of the decision-makers in Madrid have done their best to recruit Mbappe without upsetting PSG, as the two clubs enjoy an important relationship. As part of this relationship, Real sold Keylor Navas to PSG so the Ligue 1 giants could have a new starter, with Alphonse Areola, who could soon sign a permanent deal, joining Real on loan as Thibaut Courtois‘ backup.

There’s no doubt that Mbappe is everything Real Madrid needs. Last season, only Karim Benzema scored more than five goals for Los Blancos in La Liga, and his 14 goals were below-average for a top scorer on the team. Benzema had a strong season, but he also had a frustrating slump in the second half of the year. Ideally, he would be partnered with a wide forward like Mbappe who can score 30 goals in a season, replacing the suddenly ineffective Gareth Bale.

Real Madrid have always targeted Mbappe as an option in 2021, since that’s when PSG would actually be forced to sell the player on an expiring contract. Right now, PSG have little intention to sell and are doing their best to convince Mbappe to stay in Paris.

According to a report from L’Equipe, via GetFootballNewsFrance.com, there is “no chance” Mbappe leaves in the summer of 2020, because the Emir of Qatar has no intention of selling him.

That’s a point-blank statement that Mbappe will not be sold at any price. Many assumed that Los Merengues had a slight chance of signing Mbappe this summer and thus didn’t rule him out as a potential signing, even if the fee would be astronomical.

But as time passes, it’s becoming more and more clear that it’s 2021 or nothing for Madrid, since Mbappe’s contract doesn’t run out until 2022. And again, that’s assuming he does indeed choose Los Blancos and avoids accepting any tempting renewal offers from his current club.