City embroiled in allegations that Mbappe was tapped up

Manchester City could be at the centre of a potential Fifa investigation amid allegations that Monaco forward Kylian Mbappe has been tapped up.

Monaco are threatening to report an unspecified number of “important European clubs” whom they believe have made illegal approaches for the French teenager.

City, Real Madrid, Paris St-germain and Arsenal are among the clubs who are said to have been chasing Mbappe’s signature.

But it is understood City are the only English club accused of approaching the 18-year-old and his representatives without permission. City have so far declined to comment.

City have already signed Portugal playmaker Bernardo Silva from Monaco this summer but they have had a new £44.5 million bid for leftback Benjamin Mendy rejected by the French champions, who insist they want more than the £50million that City paid Spurs for their right-back Kyle Walker. Jose Mourinho, the Manchester United manager, has expressed suprise at City’s outlay for Walker and claimed his club would not pay the inflated fees some rivals were prepared to meet.

Whether the situation surrounding Mbappe complicates City’s pursuit of Mendy remains to be seen but sources at Monaco claim Chelsea have now inquired about the France defender after struggling to

In demand: Kylian Mbappe is being chased by the top clubs in Europe, including Arsenal agree a deal with Juventus for Alex Sandro.

Fifa had still to receive a formal complaint from Monaco as of last night but the French champions said in a statement that “to put an end to this unacceptable situation [the club] are considering asking the French Football League and Fifa to bring disciplinary proceedings against the offending clubs.”

In their statement, Monaco said they “regretfully notice that ‘important’ European clubs made contacts with Kylian Mbappe [and his entourage] without its authorisation” and “want to remind these clubs” that such actions breach French league and Fifa rules.

Any club found guilty of tapping up Mbappe, should an investigation follow, could face the prospect of a transfer ban. City have already been banned by the Premier League from signing academy players for two years, the second 12 months of which is suspended, for tapping up two schoolboys.

And City are waiting to discover if they face sanctions from a separate case after the Court of Arbitration for Sport heard allegations from Argentine club Velez Sarsfield this month that City made an illegal approach for teenage midfielder Benjamin Garre. A verdict is expected in the next fortnight – City face a ban from registering new players if found guilty.

City, meanwhile, are cautiously optimistic about beating Chelsea to the signing of Real Madrid rightback Danilo for £26.8 million.