Many players want to be the best in the world, but only a few of them can. Kylian Mbappe is one of them, which is why taking his career to Saudi Arabia at 24 years old, even just for a single season, will change the way he is viewed.
Check Out: PSG 'Respond' To World-Record Bid For Mbappe
As the Saudi Pro League continues to attract high-profile footballers, there is an understanding that the country's push to elevate its status has largely been by way of moving for older players nearing the end of their careers. Roberto Firmino, Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy are all in their thirties, so it's almost comprehensible to many that they've decided to go where the money is. The reaction to Ruben Neves joining Al Hilal was different, however. At just 26 years old, it's clear that he hasn't gone to the Middle East for footballing reasons, and the Portugal international has admitted it himself, but the Gulf country's Public Investment Fund has even bigger ambitions.
On Monday, it was reported that Al Hilal have submitted a world-record €300 million (R5.8 billion) transfer bid for Mbappe. The 24-year-old would earn somewhere around €700 million (R13.7 billion) if he was to accept the club's advances, which Paris Saint-Germain will undoubtedly be desperate for him to do given the striker has no intention of committing to new terms in Paris. The Ligue 1 champions have effectively put him up for sale to avoid losing him for free when his contract expires in 2024, and it is difficult to imagine another team in Europe matching Al Hilal's offer, or getting anywhere close to it for that matter. As per the apparent proposal, the Saudi club would be happy for him to leave for Real Madrid in 2024. With the Frenchman having been left out of PSG's pre-season tour of Japan, it won't be long before we find out his response.
But Mbappe has plenty to consider. The France international has, for a long time, been perceived as someone who doesn't let money rule his life, after he donated everything he was given for representing France at the 2018 FIFA World Cup to charity, saying at the time that he "did not need to be paid" and that he earns "enough money". Since then, the ex-Monaco forward has become the highest-paid footballer in Europe. Mbappe is also one of the few young players in the game who could realistically go on to become one of the sport's all-time greats. Some would argue his performances at the World Cup in Russia and at last year's tournament in Qatar, which included a hat-trick in the final, means he is already among football's elite. However, the Ballon d'Or is still missing from his individual trophy collection, and it has been made clear by the player himself that it is still an accolade he is chasing. Going to Saudi Arabia, though, will see him go another year without officially being recognised as the world's best player.
Whether it is unfair or not, Mbappe will be viewed differently if he does accept Al Hilal's approach. He'll be compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who spent their best seasons dominating for two of Europe's biggest clubs in the continent's biggest competitions, and he'll be accused of contradicting himself with former statements he has made.
Check Out: Saudis To 'Offer' Mbappe €700m To Exit PSG
I'm by no means suggesting the forward will be ruining his career or that he wouldn't be able to come back from it if he made the move to the Middle East, but the only way he'll match the achievements of those greats that came before him is if he actually follows in their footsteps.
By @KurtLaduma
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