Giovanni Branchini claims that Florentino Pérez has made an audacious bid for Kylian Mbappé, playing on the fact that PSG could lose him for nothing in June.
Kylian Mbappé is the player who Real Madrid fans are excited about seeing the club sign in 2022 and it looks like the 23-year-old will become the first galáctico to be unveiled at the new Bernabéu this summer. However, in Italy there are suggestions that Florentino Pérez is attempting to sign the French forward now. According to football agent Giovanni Branchini, Madrid have placed a 50 million euro offer for Mbappé, in the hope that PSG will accept to sell their star out of sheer desperation in the January window. Madrid sources claim that the club has no intention of bringing Mbappe to the club this month when there is the Champions League Last 16 tie against PSG looming as that is not how the club operates. And besides, Madrid already have their 25 places in the first team squad filled.
Branchini argues otherwise, he told La Gazzetta dello Sport, "It's down to PSG. Real Madrid want to have Mbappé on board inmediately and they have offered 50 million euros. I don't know how it will all turn out. I do think that Florentino Pérez taking such an initiative deserve attention, it's a way of sending a message to stabilise the system. It's a shame that a player of Mbappé's stature will be moving in the summer on a free transfer," he said, adding that he doesn't know how it will be taken in Paris, but he is sure that PSG will sign another big star as a replacement. "It's looking like it will be a crazy summer with Haaland, Harry Kane and Vlahovic among those making the headlines," he explained.
Lukaku put his foot in it
The agent also spoke about other movements in the market, such as Romelu Lukaku's possible departure from Chelsea in the wake of his incendiary comments in an interview with Sky. "That was a total own goal. He's damaged his own image, it was a move which obviously wasn't made with the advice of his agent. He will remain at Chelsea but in the meantime he's come in for a lot of criticism, because even Inter were taken by surprise," he said.
And lastly, on Álvaro Morata's chances of joining Barcelona, Branchini assured that the Spanish striker is likely to stay at Juventus as the Italians don't have a substitute. "From what I understand, Álvaro will stay with Juve. Depay doesn't really appeal to Juve or Atlético. His relationship with Juventus is still very good as it was understandable that he wanted to find a club away from Madrid which could give him some stability, but Juve will never let him go unless they have someone to replace him".
Giovanni Branchini is one of the most well-known agents in Italian and European football. Among his clients were stars such as Romario, Ronaldo and Ancelotti, and he was involved in major transfers such as Cristiano's move to Manchester United and Lucas Hernández's switch to Bayern Munich.