Man Utd superstar, Liverpool ace among five players tipped to replace Kylian Mbappe at PSG (original) (raw)

With Kylian Mbappe almost guaranteed to join Real Madrid this summer, PSG have already got their eye on several big names who could replace the Frenchman.

Following PSG’s exit from the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund, Mbappe’s departure now seems a formality with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

Mbappe himself has said that people will know his next club before the Euros and La Liga president Javier Tebas has said there is a “99 per cent chance” that the Frenchman will join Real Madrid this summer.

PSG certainly aren’t shy when it comes to splashing the cash and they will be desperate to replace the outgoing Frenchman this summer.

We’ve taken a closer look at PSG and have assessed the five players who have been tipped to replace Mbappe at the Parc des Princes.

Marcus Rashford

The exit talk surrounding Rashford is continuing to heat up and given his previous links with PSG, a move to the Parc des Princes seems like a real possibility.

As per reports, Man Utd will listen to offers for the 26-year-old this summer, with the club looking for a nine-figure sum of around £100m to sanction his sale.

There’s no denying that he’s not been at his firing best this season, having only scored seven league goals. However, as shown last season, he can be an elite marksman when on form.

PSG have held a long-term interest in the Man Utd forward and PSG chief executive Nasser Al-Khelaifi has previously spoken about his admiration for Rashford.

“He’s another player that is really amazing,” Al-Khelaifi told Sky Sports back in 2022. “We’re not hiding it, we spoke before and… interest. But the moment was not a good moment for both sides.”

Given the similarities between Rashford and Mbappe, it makes sense that the French club are looking at him this summer.

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Luis Diaz

The Colombian winger was electric when Liverpool first picked him up and while he’s still regarded as one of the top wingers in the Premier League, injuries have hampered his game over the years.

Diaz suffered a major knee injury last season which kept him out of action for around seven months. He’s still got pace to burn though and you can understand why a side like PSG would be interested.

According to transfer journalist Jonathan Johnson, Diaz is ‘definitely’ on PSG’s shortlist to replace Mbappe this summer.

“There’s been some recent speculation about Luis Diaz being a target for Paris Saint-Germain and my understanding is that the Liverpool forward is definitely a player that PSG are looking at as part of a wider shortlist of potential players to bring in this summer,” Johnson told Caught Offside.

Across all competitions, Diaz has scored 13 goals and has provided five assists. Given he’s under contract with Liverpool until 2027, the Reds are in a strong position to negotiate his price tag.

Rafael Leao

Stylistically, Leao is arguably the most similar player to Mbappe on the market right now. Capable of playing on the left or through the middle, Leao shares a lot of similar traits with the Frenchman.

However, while the Portuguese forward would make for a top signing, prizing him away from AC Milan looks like an almost impossible task.

He’s under contract in Italy until 2028 and clubs will likely have to pay his pricey €175m (£150m) release clause in order to get him away from the San Siro.

Leao himself seems content to stick around in Serie A, having previously expressed his desire to stay at AC Milan for the foreseeable future.

“In Milan they helped me grow as a man and as a player,” Leao told reporters. “I can’t leave them. My future is in Milan. My education is based on loyalty.”

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Vinicius Junior

Swapping Mbappe for Vinicius would certainly get people talking. Both players like to play off the left-hand side and it remains to be seen how they will each fit into the same XI.

It has been suggested that Mbappe and Vinicius could butt heads in the Real Madrid dressing room which could potentially allow a side like PSG to swoop in.

According to El Debate, there could be a ‘clash of egos’ once Mbappe gets to the club, although this is all speculation at this moment in time.

PSG are one of the clubs who have ‘set their sights on’ the Brazilian and the French champions are reportedly willing to pay up to £171m to land his signature.

However, the same outlet does claim that Vinicius’ plan ‘is to remain’ at Real Madrid and it’s hard to see him leaving at this stage.

Victor Osimhen

A different type of player to Mbappe, but Osimhen certainly brings a similar level of star power. Napoli’s frontman has been heavily linked with an exit ahead of the summer and PSG have consistently been keeping tabs on his situation.

Chelsea’s interest in Osimhen has been well-documented and according to TEAMtalk sources, both Arsenal and PSG have been in ‘constant communication’ regarding the 25-year-old forward.

However, according to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Osimhen’s preference is to move to the Premier League instead of PSG.

“I’m not so convinced that Osimhen goes to PSG, he has already played in France with Lille, logical, PSG is something else and would allow you to face matches like the Champions League semi-final, but his preference was and remains England,” Di Marzio said.

“Chelsea and Arsenal are two clubs that could grab Osimhen.”