It all sounds so simple.
Kylian Mbappe has declared that he wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain.
Real Madrid want to sign him and made an offer at the beginning of January. This summer, Mbappe will be out of contract and will be able to join the club of his choice.
He is now free to discuss terms with whomever he wants and has turned down the possibility of staying in France.
But there are still some unanswered questions. Including the big one.
The Mbappe-Madrid transfer saga has seen more twists and turns than many care to remember. And even now – at a very advanced stage of their final negotiations – it is not certain where he will play next season.
Mbappe has scored 243 goals since joining PSG in 2017 (David Ramos/Getty Images)
On Friday, Mbappe announced his decision to leave the club to his PSG teammates in a dressing room speech.
But club sources – who, like all quoted here, preferred to speak anonymously to protect relations – said there was no mention of who he will move to, even though Mbappe had previously told his teammates he would like to Madrid would be.
Mbappe has known the terms Madrid are willing to offer him since early January, an offer that failed to convince some influential members of his camp, delaying Real's attempts to sign him. They were also unimpressed by Madrid's request to notify them of a decision by mid-January.
Mbappe's address to his teammates at PSG's training ground on Friday came a day after it was announced that he had decided to leave the club at the end of the season.
The circumstances of his departure have yet to be clarified – it is expected that PSG and the player will make an official announcement on the matter in the next few months.
Let's take a look at the current problems and first go a little deeper into what PSG and Mbappe still need to discuss.
When is a free transfer not a free transfer?
In August, PSG and Mbappe experienced a moment of great tension. Mbappe had been excluded from first-team training and did not travel to the club's pre-season tour after indicating he would not take up the option of extending his contract for a further year.
At Mbappé's request, a meeting took place between him and club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi shortly before the start of the season, at which an agreement was reached on his reinstatement. He played the first game of the new season and after the game another meeting was held, which was also attended by sports director Luis Campos and manager Luis Enrique.
The French club has always stressed that a possible Mbappe departure at the end of 2023/24 would not be a “free transfer”, even if he were to leave when his contract expires. The agreement reached at these two meetings explains why.
It is a complex agreement that covers multiple scenarios – but each scenario, according to sources familiar with the terms, would see Mbappe compensate the club financially if he leaves the club after his contract expires after June 30 leaves.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Mbappe in 2022 (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
Exactly what that will ultimately look like will be further determined by discussions between player and club over the next few months, but sources at PSG describe this as a legally binding written agreement.
The issue was discussed by Mbappe and Al-Khelaifi on Tuesday when the player said he intended to leave this summer. Al-Khelaifi reiterated the club's stance towards Mbappé: they believe he will have to make financial sacrifices related to his earnings at PSG or pay them part of a signing bonus he receives from Madrid.
And the topic is still being discussed.
When Madrid tried to sign Mbappe in 2022, they offered a signing bonus of €130 million (£111 million; $140 million at current rates) and a salary of €26 million per year.
Madrid's latest offer to Mbappé was lower, but still substantial enough to make him by far the highest-paid player in the Madrid squad. Mbappe's annual salary at PSG is around 75 million euros after taxes and before any bonuses.
On Friday, a PSG source suggested that whatever Mbappe agrees “with Madrid” would determine what comes next in the matter.
Does Mbappe have any other offers from elsewhere?
PSG sources have said in recent weeks that they had heard that Mbappe was firmly interested in a “third club”. The same sources claimed they did not fully trust this information and believed it could be part of a negotiating tactic. As for previous offers, PSG received and accepted a €300 million offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal for the player in July 2023.
Mbappe's camp declined to comment on whether there are other offers this time.
All information gathered by The Athletic suggests that Mbappe only has one offer from outside PSG – that of Madrid. Every club in the world would love to have the striker in their squad, but it appears that the Frenchman has exactly that offer on the table.
Mbappe, pictured in September, told his teammates on Friday that he was leaving (Aurelien Meunier – PSG via Getty Images)
What's new from Madrid?
For weeks, sources within Madrid's coaching staff have expressed their confidence in the idea of Mbappé being part of their squad next season, and that confidence has only grown this week, even before news of the player's decision to leave PSG , got known.
That was the message the board conveyed to Valdebebas' senior figures during this week's trip to Germany, where the team played the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against RB Leipzig on Tuesday evening.
However, since Thursday, sources in Madrid have preferred to play down suggestions that an agreement has been reached with Mbappe.
From Madrid's perspective, nothing fundamental has changed. They would still like to sign Mbappe, a player they have pursued for years – and the ultimate sign of their determination to do so is the leading role Florentino Perez has played in the negotiations.
So what can we expect next? Surely Mbappe won't stay…
Speculation about Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé is dangerous.
However, we know that it is yet to be confirmed whether Mbappe and Madrid have come to an agreement and it appears that no other club have made him an offer yet.
We also know that despite this saga, PSG are determined to hold on to Mbappe's 17-year-old brother Ethan, who the club expects to sign a new contract.
Another detail is also important. Madrid knew Mbappe would inform PSG of his decision this week. This shows that they are still in very close contact.
(Top photo: Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)