The club's all-time top goal scorer has been embroiled in an on-going soap opera with PSG's hierarchy over the last two seasons, but has finally decided it is time to depart the French champions.

It's left a sour taste in the mouth of PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who desperately wanted to keep the homegrown Parisian talent at PSG and it will be detrimental to the club's brand deals and image.

In 2022 Mbappe was strongly linked with a blockbuster transfer to Real Madrid, the club he idolised growing up but declined a £26m per year salary including a £130m signing on bonus to stay in Paris.

The 25 year old waited until May to decide his future, after growing tiresome of the club's structure, onfield performances and direction. Although, a surprise U-turn saw him extend his contract until June 2024 on a salary of £75m per year including a £70m per year loyalty bonus and £150m signing on bonus.

Mbappe now looks likely to be forced to give up his bonuses and potentially hand-over his signing on fee to PSG as a result of declining a further one year extension.

It was very telling that moments after his dramatic revelation on Thursday, international compatriot Aurlien Tchouameni tweeted a social media post featuring just popcorn emoji's, which only adds more fuel to the fire surrounding his long-anticipated potential move to the Santiago Bernebeu. 

What is clear, is that Real Madrid will have to overcome significant financial hurdles in order to seal Enzo Perez's dream target and they will have to increase their 2022 offer considerably if they are to accomplish this idyllic fairy-tale. 

WHO COULD PSG SIGN TO REPLACE KYLIAN MBAPPE?

VICTOR OSIMHEN

The striker has just returned to Napoli after suffering heartbreak in the final at the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria, suffering a 2-1 defeat to host nation Ivory Coast.

The 25 year old has been subject to intense speculation in recent weeks, with Arsenal and Chelsea expressing serious interest in signing the number nine and PSG have become the latest European super club to show intent this upcoming summer.

His relationship with Napoli has consistently deteriorated across this season, in October he was outraged after racist insinuations surfaced on TikTok from the club and then he was entwined in a feud between a teammates agent and himself, refiring to them as "a dumb f***".

This has seemingly made Osimhen feel unsettled in Naples and he has expressed a desire to move on this summer, and the prolific goal scorer could be just what PSG need to bring firepower upfront.

The Super Eagle has scored 33 goals in 47 Serie A games since last season.

Lautaro martinez

After a torrid World Cup at the start of last season, the Argentine striker would have been a laughable suggestion to link with replacing generational talent Kylian Mbappe at PSG.

However, the 26 year old finished 2022-23 as a World Cup champion , Champions League runner-up and Coppa Italia winner finishing the season very strongly and he has continued to grow into Inter's starring talisman.

This season, Martinez has taken his goalscoring form to an entire new level scoring 19 goals in just 20 Serie A matches, averaging 0.97 goals per 90 minutes.

While, he is rough around the edges and can lack that instinctive clinical nature infront on goal which separates the best from the world-class, he would certainly be a great addition to PSG.

He brings tenacity and work rate, something PSG fans have been de-void of with Mbappe who always appeared as if he was bigger than the club and Martinez is very versatile he could play in a partnership upfront with Goncalo Ramos or a lonesome number 10.

marcus rashford

The Manchester United striker is enduring a turbulent second season under Erik Ten Hag, scoring five goals across all competitions. He looks a shadow of the in-form Ballon D'Or nominee contender last season who scored 32 goals for club and country.

He has been tenuously linked with PSG previously, touted as a potential summer recruit to replace Neymar and the club's hierarchy are certainly admirers of the 26 year old, intent on getting the best out of a player whose star quality has wavered this season.

It would be a risk bringing an underperforming Marcus Rashford to Ligue 1, exposing him to unprecedented pressure to replicate half the legacy Mbappe left behind. We know the striker is very much a purple patch kind of forward, who has struggled with of field distractions recently and moving to Paris will only further increase the noise.

However, a new destination could be exactly what the homegrown Manchester United star needs to resurrect his career. A chance to escape the constant scrutiny and backlash he has faced over the years donning the red shirt of United.

It will be very interesting to see what pricetag Manchester United will put on him, or if they would be willing to sell him all together given the hierarchal re-structuring at the club.

dusan vlahovic