Real Madrid and Brazil legend Ronaldo has made a prediction on Kylian Mbappe after the striker reportedly reached an agreement to join the Spanish clubs.
Striker Mbappe is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain this summer and he has recently hinted at a move to Real Madrid while his most recent interview suggested that he is open to leaving France.
The Frenchman has taken the mantle of the side’s main attacking star as Lionel Messi is still unavailable having recovered from Covid while Neymar’s injury troubles have ruled him out until February.
With just over five months remaining of his current deal in the French capital and with contract talks at a standstill, it appears to be increasingly likely that Mbappe will leave as a free agent this summer.
There has even been reports that PSG are willing to make the 23-year-old their highest earning player by offering him improved terms on Messi’s and Neymar’s respective contracts.
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Real Madrid have been chasing the World Cup winner’s signature for several months, having seen multiple bids rejected in the final throes of last summer’s window.
Their saving on any transfer fee means that the Spanish giants can afford to splash the cash on Mbappe’s wages and have reportedly agreed a £200million salary to cover his entire contract.
In an interview on Christian Vieri’s Twitch channel Bobo Tv, Ronaldo did not note Mbappe as one of the three best strikers in the world.
The ex-Brazilian international responded when asked to pick his top three: "Benzema in my opinion, but Lewandowski is very close. Haaland will become very strong, maybe even number one, but he doesn't have the technique of the top two."
Ronaldo was then pressed on Mbappe, whom he insisted was on a pathway to become the best striker in the world.
He also addressed the links to Real Madrid and claimed that the quoted salary figures were now value for a player of his calibre.
Ronaldo added: "He is very strong, he has that speed and coldness in front of goal that will lead him to be number one.
"And I have read the news that he will go to Real Madrid and earn €50million a year....
"We (Ronaldo and his contemporaries) were in the wrong generation!
"The football industry is growing so much that it's only fair that the stars receive more and more money.
"If it's like that today, it's because there were players who inspired them, like we did."
Mbappe has bagged 19 goals in 28 appearances this term – his attacking output far exceeding that of his fellow attacking teammates Lionel Messi and Neymar, illustrating his importance to PSG.
PSG face a season-defining Champions League Round of 16 tie against Real Madrid – potentially Mbappe’s future club - next month.
