Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has hinted the Spanish club may reach a deal to sign Kylian Mbappe on January 1.
Mbappe’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of the season – and Madrid tried to sign him before the current campaign began, only to have their offers turned down.
The forward’s contract situation means he can negotiate with other teams from January 1, 2022.
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Perez told Spanish paper El Debate: “In January we will have news on Mbappe.
“Hopefully, everything can be sorted on January 1.”
However, Marca report that Perez later backtracked slightly, saying: “My words were misinterpreted.
Florentino Perez suggested Real could try and reach an agreement with Mbappe at the start of next year
“What I said is that we have to wait until next year to hear from him, always with respect to PSG with whom we have good relations.”
Perez’s initial comments prompted an angry reaction from PSG sporting director Leonardo.
“It’s been going on for two years,” the Brazilian told French sports daily L’Equipe. “I just remind you that the transfer window is closed, that a season is underway.
“There are matches and Real Madrid cannot continue to behave in this way. “Let it stop! Kylian is a player of Paris St Germain and the club wants this relationship to last.”
Mbappe himself has not totally ruled out staying at PSG beyond this season.
Asked if he was going to leave next summer, Mbappe told L’Equipe: “I’ve been in football long enough now to know that yesterday’s truth is not necessarily today’s, nor tomorrow’s.
“If I was told that [Lionel] Messi was going to play at PSG, I wouldn’t have believed it, so you never know what’s going to happen.”