Kylian Mbappe announced last week that he will depart PSG at the end of this season. His decision immediately sparked speculation about his next destination. With that in mind could Manchester City enter the race to sign the French star?
A report from DefensaCentral indicates that Manchester City are set to battle it out with Real Madrid for the signature of Kylian Mbappe. Another report from Spanish publication Cadena SER indicates that a member of Mbappe’s entourage met with Manchester City hours before Mbappe announced his intention to leave PSG. The two reports do give the impression that City are considering making a play for Mbappe.
Given Mbappe’s standing in world football, there are only a select group of teams who can compete for the signature of the French international. Manchester City would be one of those clubs with the financial might and stature to sign Mbappe.
Is a Manchester City move a realistic possibility?
While reports indicate City are in the running for Mbappe another question is whether would the PSG fit into Pep Guardiola’s squad. On talent alone, the answer is obviously yes. He is one of the best players in world football and has been dominant again this season for PSG. He has scored 32 goals in 31 appearances this season. Given his ability to play either in the middle or in a wide role, Mbappe does have the tools to immediately slot into the world champions’ lineup.
On talent alone, Mbappe appears an ideal signing for Manchester City. But his wage demands could potentially be a stumbling block for any potential move to the Etihad. Mbappe would likely command a sizable wage that would likely position himself as one of if not the highest earner at the club. It remains to be seen if City would risk squad harmony and compromise their wage structure to accommodate Kylian Mbappe. He could be viewed as a player who is worth taking a risk in that regard given his talent and standing in the game.
Summary
Manchester City could enter the race for Kylian Mbappe. They have the resources and standing as a club to potentially sign the PSG star. If he did decide he wanted to move to Manchester City it would appear a relatively easy deal for the champions to complete. The prospect of Mbappe playing under Pep Guardiola and with Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and co is a mouth-watering prospect.
But given how the City squad is constructed it doesn’t appear to be a realistic option just yet. That may change but given how Manchester City are run as a club a City move for Kylian Mbappe doesn’t seem to be imminent. It seems that it would remain a fantasy to see Mbappe play for Manchester City rather than a realistic option at this stage.
