KYLIAN MBAPPE will accept a huge pay cut to join Real Madrid, according to reports.
The Frenchman is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Kylian Mbappe is set to leave PSG at the end of the season
Mbappe has set his wage demands high
Several clubs have already expressed an interest in signing him on a free transfer, including Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool.
However, Mbappe is reportedly “leaning towards” joining Real Madrid.
Los Blancos have been pushing to sign the 25-year-old since his Monaco days.
Mbappe came close to making the move in 2022, but shocked the football world by announcing a two-year extension with PSG instead.
He caused a stir among the PSG camp last summer after refusing to sign a new contract.
The Parisians subsequently accepted a huge £259million offer from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for him, but Mbappe rejected the move.
He was axed from the squad for a brief period and sent to train with PSG’s “undesirables” – a group of players not wanted by the club.
However, he made a return at the start of the Ligue 1 campaign and has since scored 31 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions.
Real Madrid have already proposed a deal to Mbappe ahead of the summer, but his representatives have reportedly been left unimpressed.
The Frenchman is set to receive a total of £62m plus bonuses from PSG for the 2023-24 campaign, but Real Madrid are unable to match that.
According to Spanish outlet AS, the La Liga giants are hoping to pay Mbappe less than his £42.8m – around £827,000-a-week – starting point.
However, he is still set to become the club’s highest-paid player, surpassing Jude Bellingham by a significant margin.
The England international currently rakes in around £220,000-a-week – £11.4m-a-year – at the Santiago Bernabeu, much less that what Mbappe is demanding.
In fact, the difference between the two players’ weekly wages would be around £358,000, roughly £138,000 MORE than Bellingham’s standard weekly earnings.
Mbappe reportedly also wants several bonuses added into his contract.
The World Cup winner joined PSG in a £154m transfer from Monaco in 2018 and has since scored 243 goals and provided 105 assists in 290 appearances.
Jude Bellingham joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund last summer and has since scored 20 goals in 29 appearances