PEP’S £143M MBAPPE HI JACK
City bid to steal Monaco wonderkid from Madrid
MANCHESTER CITY are trying to hijack Real Madrid’s £143million bid for Monaco’s teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe.
City officials are in advanced talks with their Monaco counterparts over a deal to sign the 18-yearold, who is currently the hottest property in world football.
Blues boss Pep Guardiola (right) has already spent £217m on new signings this summer and
the capture of forward Mbappe would take that figure through the £350m barrier.
City chief executive Ferran Soriano is in talks with Monaco vicepresident Vadim Vasilyev about brokering a deal to bring the France star to the Etihad.
Real believe they are in pole position to sign the player for a fee that would shatter the £89m world record Manchester United paid Juventus for Paul Pogba.
But City have received enough encouragement to make a move, even though they were one of four clubs criticised for making an illegal approach for Mbappe.
Despite that warning from Monaco, the Blues have established decent relations with the French champions this summer.
They have already spent £90m on former Monaco duo Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy (above).
Real remain favourites to sign Mbappe, but City are not giving up without a fight. Such a deal would raise fresh questions over the future of City striker Sergio Aguero.