'What are PSG playing at?' - Kylian Mbappe defended by Mayor of Paris as French champions are warned 'he must be kept'

According to reports, PSG have accepted a record €300m (£259m/$332m) transfer fee from Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal, who have now got permission to begin negotiations with Mbappe. However, it is believed that the 2018 World Cup winner is not keen on a move to Saudi Arabia as he instead wants to join Real Madrid next summer, as a free agent, when he could receive a huge signing-on bonus. Hidalgo has now insisted that PSG should be doing everything within their power to keep "the best player in the world" and has questioned the club's treatment of the 24-year-old after seeing him issued with a contract ultimatum and left out of their tour of Japan.

I don't understand what PSG are playing at," she said in an interview with BFMTV and RMC. "Kylian Mbappe is the best player in the world. I admit that I don't understand anything. Kylian is an extraordinary player, he must be kept in Paris. I think it was also his desire to stay as long as possible. The question is, what are PSG playing at?

The Al-Hilal offer to Mbappe, which reportedly stands at €700m (£604m/$774m), has drawn attention across the world as NBA stars Lebron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo responded to the world-record bid in their own hilarious way. While James joked that he would run like Forrest Gump to Saudi Arabia if he was being offered that kind of money, Antetokounmpo urged the club to consider him since he resembled the PSG superstar. Mbappe found that extremely funny and even quoted the tweet from the ex-NBA MVP with crying-laughing emojis.

 The Mbappe transfer saga might drag on deep in the summer as the forward pushes to see out the final year of his contract at PSG. However, the club has made it clear that he will be sold if he does not wish to sign the extension and are even willing to loan him out this summer to receive a loan fee.