The reported offer by Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal to sing French superstar footballer Kylian Mbappe involves some mind-bending amounts of money. The Saudi club have offered Paris Saint-Germain 300 million euros to sign their main man, despite Mbappe being in the final year of his contract, and are also willing to offer the player himself 700 million euros for one year’s service in the Pro League. It is an amount of money that is unseen in the world of sports, and is a truly gargantuan amount of money for any one athlete.
The reports of the incredible offer have led to intense speculation about where Mbappe might spend the next years of his career, entering the cusp of his prime at 24 years old but already the best player in the world according to some. It has also led to the opportunity for humour in some circles.
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NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo took advantage of the storm created around Mbappe’s potential departure to share a humorous tweet, asking Al-Hilal to sign him up for that contract instead.
The Greek basketballer shared a smiling selfie to the app, and accompanied it with the text “Al Hilal you can take me. I look like Kylian Mbappe.”
{{/usCountry}}The Greek basketballer shared a smiling selfie to the app, and accompanied it with the text “Al Hilal you can take me. I look like Kylian Mbappe.”
{{/usCountry}}While Giannis himself is one of the highest-earning players in the NBA, tied down to a 5-year USD 228 million supermax extension contract by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, the amount of money Mbappe is being offered is an eye-widening amount for any individual.
Mbappe was playful in his response, responding to Antetokounmpo’s tweet with a series of laughing emojis — a reply which could be interpreted as the Frenchman’s first comment on the blockbuster Saudi offer.
Mbappe is an NBA fan and was present at the Accor Arena in Paris when Giannis’ Bucks played the Charlotte Hornets in the 2020 NBA Global Games encounter. Mbappe, who was present at the match alongside Paris teammate Neymar Jr and has since forged a friendship with the Greek Freak, as well as with recently-drafted French super-prospect Victor Wembanyama.
Whether or not Mbappe does provide his services to the Saudi Pro League will be interesting to watch. While it is certainly the kind of money an athlete cannot easily turn down, the Pro League doesn’t offer the same platform and spotlight as Europe’s top leagues, despite the recent influx of talent.
Mbappe stands to earn 150 million euros in his final season at PSG, but the French club are trying to move their superstar on this summer and avoid losing him on a free transfer in the next summer window. Interest from Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, amongst others, could convince Mbappe to remain in Europe and make a tilt at his ultimate goal: winning the Champions League and a Ballon d’Or.