Barcelona challenges Real Madrid in battle to sign Mbappe

Many thought that the Kylian Mbappe transfer saga has already been settled, with only an official announcement by Real Madrid yet to be made. However, an interesting and contradicting new report has just emerged from France, which claims that no deal has been finalised and FC Barcelona has made an offer to the Paris Saint-Germain star.

Frecch publication L'Equipe has made the bold claim that the Catalan giants have gone on the offensive in the transfer market against their biggest rivals after thrashing them in El Clasico last Sunday.

It has long been believed that Mbappe is desperate to wear the famous white jersey, and Los Blancos are keen to bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu as well. Numerous publications reported in recent weeks that a deal has been signed for Mbappe's free transfer to the Spanish capital this summer, but L'Equipe has gone against the flow to make a different claim. The report states that Barcelona president Joan Laporta is trying to lure both Mbappe and Erling Haaland to the Cmap Nou.

The main selling point for Barcelona to get on board is the fact that Mbappe will be available on a free transfer. Even with Barcelona's financial woes, Laporta is confident that they are on an upward trend and may be able to afford Mbappe's wages.

The club has recently secured a lucrative sponsorship deal with Spotify and has secured a loan from Goldman Sachs. On top of that, manager Xavi Hernandez has proven to be a talisman since his arrival, having already brought the team up to third place in La Liga with a clear chance at going even further up.

The resurgence is set to bring more money flowing into the club's coffers, and Laporta wants to make a play for the most in-demand players as soon as possible. Barcelona is still a prestigious club, and he thinks that he may still be able to tempt Mbappe.

Apart from the Frenchman, Laporta has also been vocal about his desire to sign another Real Madrid target, Erling Haaland. The Borussia Dortmund striker has a €75 million release clause, but even that is a bargain compared to his actual value.

Mbappe has not confirmed whether he has signed with Real Madrid or not, with many believing that both sides will wait until the end of the season as a courtesy to PSG. Until an official announcement is made, anything can still happen. There are many speculations and reports from behind the scenes, but as proven by last summer's transfer window, the final results may be completely unexpected.