Paris Saint-Germain are reported to be plotting revenge on Real Madrid over their acquisition of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer last summer.
After years of speculation, Mbappe walked away from PSG when his contract expired in June to join Madrid on a free transfer. While the French side did not receive a transfer fee, they did save themselves a significant sum when it came to unpaid loyalty bonuses.
However, there is no hiding away from the fact PSG lost one of the most valuable players in the world for nothing, and the controversy surrounding Mbappe continues to linger as he finds himself locked in a battle with the Ligue 1 leaders over €55m in what he alleges are unpaid wages.
MARCA state the PSG hierarchy are growing increasingly frustrated by the continued battle which, in their eyes, was all caused by Madrid, and are looking to punish the Spanish side for their role.
It is claimed PSG are looking at signing a number of the top youngsters in Madrid’s academy, with intermediaries working on behalf of the Parisians said to be reaching out in hope of luring as many young talents from Spain’s capital as possible.
The two sides even met recently in a youth tournament in Doha, Qatar, where PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi was spotted speaking with the Madrid side.
While there are no suggestions Al-Khelaifi breached any rules, Madrid officials made sure to watch his movements closely to ensure there were no attempts at tapping-up.
Just which players PSG are chasing remains unclear. There have, however, been significant links to newly senior centre-back Raul Asencio, whose current contract runs until 2026.