Kylian Mbappe could demand a contract similar to the one Lionel Messi is set to sign at Inter Miami in order if he is to follow the forward out the door at Paris Saint-Germain, reports suggest.
The Argentine legend will sign for his new club in MLS later this month and is expected to put pen to paper on a unique contract that includes lucrative partnerships with a host of commercial giants. Although the 36-year-old is expected to earn a wage that will equate to a staggering $53.7 million per year, he will also make a cut of profits from tie-ins with Adidas and Apple.
In the case of the former, the Athletic has reported that the World Cup winner will pick up a share of any profits garnered from merchandise sold following his arrival stateside. In addition, when it comes to the latter, he will also be offered a share of any revenue generated by new subscribers to MLS Season Pass.
Clearly, this contract has significant economic benefits for the veteran forward, alongside the opportunity to play out the twilight years of his career in a city where he already owns a home. Given the clamour for tickets to see the superstar in action, it is fair to surmise that Messi will find the contract an extremely fruitful venture.
The former Barcelona superstar had offered Mbappe some advice regarding his future, with the forward having urged his then-teammate to pursue a more successful project than the one on offer at Parc des Princes. Spanish outlet Defensa Central previously alleged that Messi had implored the Frenchman to depart for one of the Spanish giants.
In spite of the attacking pair having won two Ligue 1 titles alongside each other in the French capital, they reported that the departing winger had said: "I prefer that you go to Barça but if you want to go to Madrid, do it, you deserve a real winning project."
Now it appears that the 24-year-old may be willing to take the advice of the incoming Inter Miami player in the future in moving on from Le Parisiens at the end of his contract next year. On top of this, it also seems as though the commercial benefits that Messi has been able to guarantee with his contract with the Herons have not been lost on Mbappe's camp.
According to Spanish outlet Diario, the 2018 world champion's representatives are realistic in their belief that their client will struggle to land a wage in line with his current deal with PSG. As it stands, the prolific goalscorer earns a basic wage of €72 million (£62 million) gross per year, with his contract also including a €150 million (£129 million) renewal bonus a two-year loyalty bonus of €170 million (£146 million).
To compensate for this, they would instead be willing to strike a deal which would guarantee benefits such as a percentage of the merchandise at the club, as well as a slice of TV rights revenue. The report also contends that such clauses in a potential contract have formed part of previous discussions between Mbappe and Real Madrid.
The 70-time international was heavily linked with a move to Santiago Bernabeu prior to last summer but eventually stayed in France. However, it appears that the player will not renew his current contract and will depart the club in the summer of 2024.
