Transfer Centre

Paris Saint-Germain eye Real Madrid's Rodrygo as Kylian Mbappe replacement?

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 24 September 2023

Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo reportedly emerges as a transfer target for Paris Saint-Germain should Kylian Mbappe leave the club in 2024.

Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for Paris Saint-Germain should Kylian Mbappe leave the club in 2024.

Mbappe - who has long been linked with a lucrative move to the Bernabeu - informed the French champions over the summer that he would not be extending his deal beyond the end of the season.

The striker turned his nose up to a move to the Spanish capital in 2022 to pen a new contract at the Parc des Princes, and those terms include a 12-month option until the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

However, as things stand, the former Monaco product can walk out of the door for nothing next summer, but PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has insisted that such a nightmare scenario for the French champions will not occur.

PSG were prepared to let Mbappe join Al-Hilal in a world-record deal over the summer, but the 24-year-old did not open the door to a move to Saudi Arabia, while Real closed the door despite letting Karim Benzema depart for Al-Ittihad.

Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring for Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023 © Reuters

Instead, Los Blancos captured Joselu on a season-long loan from Espanyol, and Mbappe was initially banished from first-team training at PSG before being welcome back after constructive talks with the club.

A new deal has been mooted, but Mbappe has supposedly reiterated to the French champions that he will not be penning fresh terms, and a 2024 departure to the Spanish capital is expected to come to fruition.

However, as a token of payback, Defensa Central claims that PSG could try to launch an assault for Real Madrid's Rodrygo, whom Los Blancos may be open to selling for the right price.

The 22-year-old has blossomed into an important player for Carlo Ancelotti's team since joining from Santos in 2019, registering 38 goals and 32 assists in 171 games in all competitions.

With Benzema ending his 13-year association with the club, Rodrygo has been shifted to a central role at the start of the 2023-24 season, but he has only netted once in six matches so far.

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo during the match on August 25, 2023 © Reuters

Furthermore, the Brazil international is only contracted to the Spanish giants until the end of the 2024-25 season, and president Florentino Perez could apparently be convinced to sell for a sizeable fee.

Real spent €45m (£39.2m) to bring Rodrygo to the club from his homeland four years ago, and the report states that an offer between €100m (£87.2m) and €120m (£104.6m) could twist Perez's arm.

Ancelotti and the club are reportedly confident that Rodrygo will begin to find his shooting boots once more, but Los Blancos are demanding more from the 22-year-old in the coming weeks.

Rodrygo will be expected to make the first XI for Sunday's Madrid derby with Atletico Madrid, as Los Blancos aim to record their sixth win from six games in the 2023-24 La Liga season.