Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) star forward, Kylian Mbappe, is set to join Real Madrid this summer, marking a significant transfer in the football world.
The 25-year-old Frenchman, who is also the captain of the French national team, has informed PSG of his decision to leave once his contract expires in June.
While the deal with Real Madrid is not yet finalized, Mbappe's departure from PSG seems imminent, especially after he expressed his desire to have his future resolved before March.
Reports indicate that Mbappe met with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi on Feb. 13 to communicate his decision to leave and join Real Madrid.
The move comes as no surprise, as speculations about Mbappe's departure have been circulating for some time now.
Last Thursday, reports emerged suggesting his departure, leading to Mbappe being left out of the starting lineup for PSG's match against Nantes on Saturday.
However, he made a significant impact by coming off the bench to score a penalty, helping PSG extend their lead at the top of Ligue 1 by 14 points.
Mbappe's move to Real Madrid is expected to be lucrative for the player.
He is set to sign a five-year deal with Real, earning an annual salary of 15 million euros ($16.2 million) and a signing-on bonus of 150 million euros to be paid over five years.
Additionally, Mbappe will retain a percentage of his image rights.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has already made plans for Mbappe's role in the team.
It is envisioned that Mbappe will play on the left of the center, with England midfielder Jude Bellingham playing a deeper role and Brazilian Vinicius Jr. on the left.
If Croatian midfielder Luka Modric departs this summer, Mbappe is likely to inherit the No. 10 shirt for Real Madrid, a jersey he currently wears for the French national team.
Mbappe's journey to stardom began with AS Monaco, where he won the French title, before joining PSG in 2017 at 18.
Since then, he has been a pivotal player for PSG, scoring 244 goals and providing 93 assists in 291 games.
His contributions have helped PSG secure five Ligue 1 titles.
Despite signing a two-year contract extension with PSG in 2022, Mbappe's desire to leave the club became evident when he declined to agree to an additional 12 months added to his contract.
This led to his exclusion from PSG's preseason tour to Japan last July.
Mbappe also turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, who offered a world record $326 million for his services.
Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon praised Mbappe's abilities, highlighting his potential impact on the team.
Calderon expressed excitement about Mbappe joining Real Madrid, stating that he would be a valuable addition to the team.
Los Blanco are currently leading La Liga and have a perfect record in the Champions League.