Transfer news: Barcelona want to beat Real Madrid to Kylian Mbappe signing

Kylian Mbappe
(Image credit: PA)

Barcelona are ready to challenge Real Madrid for the signature of Kylian Mbappe, according to reports.

The France international is expected to leave PSG when his contract at the Parc des Princes expires next summer.

Madrid had a remarkable £171.7m offer for Mbappe rejected on transfer deadline day in August.

The club's president Florentino Perez was desperate to bring the 22-year-old to Madrid before the opening of the revamped Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in September.

He was ultimately unable to get that deal done, but Perez and his colleagues are working hard on a move for next summer.

Mbappe will be free to negotiate with non-French clubs as soon as the January transfer window opens.

He could even sign a pre-contract agreement with Madrid at the beginning of 2022.

However, los Blancos are not the only club interested in bringing Mbappe to La Liga.

According to AS, Barcelona are considering an audacious plot to hijack their arch-rivals' move for the World Cup winner.

The Spanish publication states that the Blaugrana will have room to spend more money on wages ahead of next season, despite their financial woes.

There is hope at the Camp Nou that the club will be able to afford one major signing in the summer.

And since Mbappe would not command a transfer fee, he is at the top of their wish list.

Madrid believe their signing of the forward is practically a done deal, but Barcelona believe there is still time for Mbappe to perform an incredible U-turn.

Yet that sounds more than a little ambitious. Barcelona have debts of more than £1 billion and will probably need to sell before they can buy next summer.

They will not be able to match the salary Madrid are expected to offer Mbappe, who is said to have wanted to pull on the famous white shirt since he was a kid.

It would therefore be a huge shock if the France international rocked up at the Camp Nou next summer.

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