The world’s biggest bid for Kylian Mbappé has been made by Al-Hilal

The Saudi Arabian club is open to having Mbappé for only one season

Mbappé’s contract must be extended or PSG will sell him

Al-Hilal have submitted a world-record bid for Kylian Mbappé, understood to be worth €300m (£259m), and are willing to have him for only one season if needed.

The move comes after Paris Saint-Germain left Mbappé out of their pre-season tour of Japan, determined to sell him. There have been no talks between Al-Hilal and Mbappé, and PSG remain convinced the 24-year-old has agreed terms to join Real Madrid on a free next summer.

Even by current Saudi Pro League standards, Al-Hilal’s salary offer – even by world-record standards – would destroy football’s financial norms if it were to tempt Mbappé for only one season. In an attempt to lure Lionel Messi away from PSG, Al-Hilal offered him more than £350m a year, but the Argentine forward chose to join Inter Miami instead.

It was reported in June that Mbappé had sent PSG a formal letter indicating he would not extend his contract next summer. Nasser al-Khelaifi, the club’s president, said the following month: “If Kylian wants to stay, we want him to stay.”. However, he must sign a new contract. The best player in the world cannot be lost for free; we can’t do that.” Mbappé joined PSG from Monaco in 2018 for £166 million.

Several Saudi Pro League clubs have spent a lot of money on European players this summer. Among the four teams owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which owns Newcastle United, Al-Hilal have signed Rúben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Kalidou Koulibaly. They are also close to acquiring Malcom and Aleksandar Mitrovic from Zenit Saint Petersburg and Fulham, respectively.

Before renewing his contract in Paris, Mbappé appeared close to joining Madrid last summer. A world record fee was received by Barcelona in 2017 when PSG sold Neymar for €222 million. In June 2025, the Brazil forward’s contract will expire.