Co-owner Todd Boehly is said to be piecing together a sensational offer for Paris Saint-Germain's wantaway superstar, but is it too good to be true?
Todd Boehly is at it again. Having relinquished control of Chelsea's transfer business following a series of high-profile misses a year ago, the co-owner is reportedly working on what would be a sensational approach for Paris Saint-Germain's wantaway contract rebel, Kylian Mbappe.
The 24-year-old is for officially for sale having rejected a new contract in the French capital, and though it is widely believed he has his heart set on a free transfer to Real Madrid in 2024, there is inevitably already plenty of clamour for his signature.
A move to Stamford Bridge would send shockwaves around the football world, but how can the Blues pull it off, and would the World Cup winner even consider it? GOAL assesses this latest bombshell in the Mbappe saga…
Getty ImagesA unique opportunity
This could feasibly be the only chance Chelsea ever have to sign Mbappe at his peak. Whether or not he moves elsewhere first, he is destined to join Real Madrid at some stage – the club he obsessed over as a boy.
However, while Los Blancos are financially stable enough to purchase the Frenchman this summer, those in the Bernabeu hierarchy would surely prefer to wait a year and sign him on an albeit costly free transfer upon the expiry of his PSG contract.
That provides Chelsea with a window of opportunity – even if that window is only open the slightest crack. If they can somehow put together a package that is acceptable for both PSG and the player, they will hope he becomes enamoured with the club, life in London and the Premier League, and defers his Real Madrid destiny for a few years.
AdvertisementGettyUndoubtedly worthwhile
Suffice to say, after just over a year as Chelsea co-owner and a period as acting sporting director, Boehly's track record with big-money transfers leaves a lot to be desired. But pursuing a superstar of Mbappe's calibre – a man who is comfortably among the top three players on the planet – is entirely different.
While there was risk attached to splurging huge sums on relatively unproven players such as Mykhailo Mudryk, Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella, Mbappe guarantees success. Indeed, he could well be the difference between Europa League and Champions League qualification for a team like Chelsea next season in this transitional period, elevating those around him and doubtless providing the kind of prolific goalscoring that the Blues have been sorely lacking.
If the opportunity arises to sign one of the world's best players in their peak years, you simply have to seize it, and the west Londoners have shown in the recent past that they have the finances and ruthlessness to make waves in the transfer market.
GettyPochettino's 'good relationship'
Needless to say, Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino would be in favour of a reunion with a player he managed during his time in the French capital. He was coy on the links to Mbappe, though, saying recently: “I think in our past we were at Paris Saint-Germain with Kylian and think I need to be conscious that I cannot talk. Everything you talk is too much noise. It is a situation that is very delicate and one they need to fix in Paris with Kylian. For our side I have nothing to say.
"We are working on our reality, our reality is different. From my side, nothing to say, only to support them. I hope they find a solution for both sides. It is a club that I love because I was a player, a captain and a coach. With Kylian we created a very good relationship, I hope they can find the best solution for both sides."
Getty ImagesHow could Chelsea pull it off?
As it stands, it's not exactly clear how Chelsea plan to finance what would be a sensational deal for Mbappe, or indeed if they actually plan to take him on loan for a year. It has been reported that Boehly is trying to cobble together a player-plus-cash offer, but there are surely very few players who are both desirable to PSG and expendable to Chelsea; Reece James is untouchable, there is no way the Premier League side would be willing to part with Enzo, Levi Colwill is set to sign a new contract and Wesley Fofana has a long-term injury.
Perhaps the Blues are already willing to cut their losses on Mudryk if it opens up the possibility of signing Mbappe, and Hakim Ziyech could well come back into the equation following his infamous failed transfer to Parc des Princes in January. Outcast Romelu Lukaku is another player who could be of interest, having been linked with the French giants in the past.