Manchester City and Real Madrid courting Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappé, €130m bid claims

Bernardo Silva was the first player to arrive at Manchester City from AS Monaco, but how many others will follow? There is left-back Benjamin Mendy, who according to many reports could become a City player in the next week. 23-year-old Fabinho is another wanted, although his next club is still far from certain.

And then there is Monaco’s prized possession, the prodigious teenager Kylian Mbappé, who exploded on to the scene this season with exceptional displays in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, including goals in both games against Man City as the principality club sent the Blues crashing out of Europe’s top competition.

According to French television program Telefoot, who did call the Bernardo Silva interest before there was any real activity, City are one of two ‘major European clubs’ courting Mbappé.

#Téléfoot
Kylian Mbappé est courtisé par deux grands clubs européens ! #Mercato pic.twitter.com/mL3pspE1Ao

— Téléfoot (@telefoot_TF1) May 28, 2017

The problem for City, if they do hope to acquire Mbappé this summer or even next – with suggestions he could spend another season at the Stade Louis II – is that the other side after him are Real Madrid, the most successful club in history. And with another Frenchman, Zinedine Zidane, in charge, the 18-year-old may find the Santiago Bernabéu too difficult to resist, much like Isco back in 2013 when City thought they had him.

12:00 UPDATE: The claim from the same source, Telefoot, is that Manchester City have made a €130 million (£114 million) bid for Kylian Mbappé, which Real Madrid have matched – both sides may even get a discount if they use a Gala bingo promo code!