PETE JENSON: Kylian Mbappe's move to Real Madrid is far from guaranteed despite recent reports... with Spanish giants refusing to smash wage structure to sign French star

Real Madrid’s seven-year pursuit of Kylian Mbappe is still some way from concluding despite reports that the player has agreed to join the Spanish club.

The biggest sticking point is Madrid’s flat-out refusal to smash their current wage structure to accommodate the Frenchman who earns 25m euros net in Paris.

Madrid’s top earners going into next season will be Vinicius and Jude Bellingham on deals that see them clear closer to 10m euros and it is inconceivable that the club hand Mbappe a contract that sees him earn more than double the current leaders of Carlo Ancelotti’s team.

The chasm that currently separates the two parties could still be closed and lines of communication are very much open between Madrid and the player’s mother Fayza Lamari.

A signing on fee of around 100m euros would compensate Mbappe having to lower his basic salary, and more than cancel out so-called ‘loyalty’ bonuses he would be due at PSG if he stays.

Despite reports, Kylian Mbappe's move to Real Madrid is not close to completion

Madrid also sense that there is less desire in Paris to pay Mbappe the astronomical sums they have up until now, so unless another club – from the Premier League – stepped in with a bottomless pit of money to offer him, their hand is strengthened by a lack of rivals.

Mbappe’s deal could also be heavily weighted with bonuses for individual prizes won. A Ballon d’Or clause would considerably boost his earnings across what is likely to be a five-year contract if he finally joins the club.

Madrid are not without their financial restrictions. In November at the club’s general assembly they requested the members’ permission to borrow a further 300m euros to complete the stadium.

It was only three years ago that president Perez was declaring that clubs needed a new European Super League because without it they would be ‘dead by 2024’.

But Madrid also know the value of ‘speculate to accumulate’ and for all that Mbappe’s arrival would stretch them it would give them the best player in the world once more – something they have not been able to boast since Cristiano Ronaldo was winning golden balls for them.

Madrid have briefed that contrary to reports they have not given Mbappe a mid-January deadline to make his mind up but they are keen for him to sign a pre-contract before the winter window closes.

And unlike in previous season it will be largely on their terms with the 25-year-old Frenchman set to earn less in Spain than he would have done had he joined last year.

Madrid first tried to sign Mbappe in 2017 when he emerged at Monaco. Instead it was PSG who signed the then 18-year-old, on a loan that was made permanent a year later.