Report: PSG's Kylian Mbappé Eyed by Chelsea After $776M Al-Hilal Contract Offer

Chelsea has entered the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappé, according to the Independent's Jamie Gardner.

"Sources close to PSG have indicated the Blues' co-owner Todd Boehly is trying to put together a deal for the 24-year-old, who seems certain to leave Paris either for a fee this summer or for nothing next year," Gardner reported.

Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal lodged a formal bid for Mbappé, but he reportedly declined to entertain any contract offers to scupper any agreement. Al-Hilal was prepared to offer a reported $776 million salary.

French newspaper L'Equipe (via Marca) reported Barcelona was prepared to discuss an Mbappé transfer. In an even more stunning turn, the Daily Mirror's John Richardson reported Liverpool was weighing a one-year loan move for the four-time Ligue 1 Player of the Year.

But the Telegraph's Tom Morgan reported Mbappé "remains determined to realize his dream of moving to Real Madrid in 11 months time when he can leave PSG as a free agent."

Todd Boehly has spent extravagantly since assuming control of Chelsea in May 2022. The Blues would seemingly have the financial might necessary to execute what would be the most expensive transfer in world football history.

Plenty of fans will argue Mbappé is so good the club can't turn down the opportunity to land him as well.

Some might counter, however, this signing would reflect what has been the club's biggest problem during Boehly's brief tenure. Too many transfers were made without consideration of how the squad fits together.

The Blues have already signed a pair of forwards, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, during the summer window, and Romelu Lukaku continues to call Stamford Bridge home for the time being. Nkunku or Jackson might suddenly get marginalized with Mbappé playing through the center.

Were manager Mauricio Pochettino to line up Mbappé out left, that would potentially cause some tactical issues with Mykhaylo Mudryk. The 22-year-old, who arrived for an initial cost of €70 million in January, should be a big long-term piece in the attacking line.

This could be much ado about nothing if Real Madrid remains in pole position to secure Mbappé's services. There's nothing stopping him from seeing out his PSG deal and signing a pre-contract agreement with the Spanish giant starting from January 2024.

And for Chelsea, losing out on the Mbappé sweepstakes wouldn't be the end of the world given how the Blues have already added to their forward ranks.