Kylian Mbappe transfer saga could yet be a problem for Manchester United

Manchester United need a striker and the forward with a claim to be the best player in the world is suddenly on the market. Erik ten Hag might be desperate to sign Harry Kane, but he'd probably take Kylian Mbappe.

That, of course, is so unlikely it's bordering on the impossible. The latest installment of the Mbappe soap opera at Paris St-Germain has captivated viewers this week and how this series ends remains unclear, but it won't involve the player being paraded at Old Trafford.

Mbappe has told PSG he won't be taking the option on his contract in 2024 and plans to leave the club on a free transfer next summer. PSG are, reportedly, furious at Mbappe's unnecessary letter declaring his intentions and now plan to sell him rather than risk losing him for nothing.

But we've been down this road before. Mbappe could run his deal down. He could be sold this summer. Or it could be a negotiating tactic to secure even greater financial rewards and power out of his club. All three scenarios seem plausible.

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Maybe the most likely, for now, is a departure this summer. PSG's negotiating hand is weak but they would still obtain a good fee for a 24-year-old who scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final six months ago to win the Golden Boot award.

Real Madrid have been obsessed with the idea of signing Mbappe for a while, but to pull it off they would need more of the financial chicanery that has become the default strategy for Spain's big two. Landing Jude Bellingham has swallowed a substantial chunk of Real's summer budget.

The only other clubs who could afford Mbappe are in the Premier League, but a move across the Channel feels unlikely. If the France