Kylian Mbappe has '100%' made his decision, but where is he going?

According to Guillem Balague, reporting for the BBC, Real Madrid have secured the services of Kylian Mbappe from next season onwards.

Per Balague, the signing could be announced soon, depending on whether Madrid and PSG could still draw each other in the Champions League.

Manu Carreno of El Larguero in Spain is confirming Balague's reports, posting on X that, "The French player is "100% closed" by the white team [Madrid]"

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Mbappe is set to sign a five-year deal worth over £12.8m in base salary, plus a £128m signing bonus spread across the contract. Balague also reports he is set to keep a percentage of his image rights as well.

Mbappe is reportedly coveting the number 10 shirt that he wears for the French national team, but this dependent on Luka Modric moving on from Madrid this summer.

Carlo Ancelloti has reportedly already thought about how best to fit his cadre of talented players into one team. With Jude Bellingham, Vinicus Jr., and now Mbappe all in the same XI, there should certainly be some exciting attacking football.

In some ways this move always felt inevitable given the links over the past few years, but just how did Mbappe secure his deal to Madrid?

Mbappe wanted to have his decision made before March, per Balague, which is why this deal is happening now. He told PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi on February 13th that he had made his decision.

This decision was first reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic

Fabrizio Romano, who alongside Ornstein, is the best news-breaker in the world of football, confirmed the news on X.

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According to Romano, Mbappe, “ informed PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi that he will LEAVE the club as [a] free agent.”

Ornstein has reported, also on X, that Mbappe’s decision will save PSG up to €200m ($215m US, £171m) per year.

With Mbappe leaving and now flooded with cash, Ornstein reports that PSG will, “will focus on youth,” moving forward. A marked change from their Galacticos-esque signing spree of a few years ago.

For months there have been rumours of Mbappe's next destination, but were any other clubs seriously interested?

There have long been links between Liverpool and Mbappe, with the Frenchman telling The Telegraph, “I talked to Liverpool because it's the favourite club of my mum.” These conversations were nearly seven years ago now, yet the links remain. Reports by The Independent made for bad reading for Liverpool fans with the club unable to match the Frenchman’s wage demands, making any move to Anfield a non-starter.

Arsenal and Mbappe is another long-term link, with Arsene Wenger keen on signing the star winger back during his Monaco days. Reports that Mbappe would "willingly join" Arsenal now seem overblown as the Frenchman has chosen to play elsewhere. Much like Liverpool, the finances of this deal made it prohibitive for Arsenal regardless of Mbappe's decision.

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