Exclusive: French football expert provides Mbappe Real Madrid transfer update & explains Man City talks

French football expert Jonathan Johnson has explained what the latest is on the Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid transfer saga, whilst also clearing up why there were some talks with Manchester City as well.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Johnson explained that a few details are still being ironed out for Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid, with his participation in the Olympics likely to be a key detail, along with other moving parts.

Mbappe is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this season and it seems in all likelihood that he will finalise a move to the Bernabeu soon, though Johnson admits it might still be some time before we hear the deal being officially announced.

The France international is not, however, at all likely to join Man City or anyone else, even if Johnson admits his entourage will have sounded out other clubs like that in order to get good leverage when negotiating a contract with Real.

Mbappe transfer: Man City talks were only negotiating tactic for Real Madrid

“Since my last column, Kylian Mbappe has confirmed to Nasser Al-Khelaifi that he plans to leave PSG at the end of his contract this summer,” Johnson said.

“While that communication has now been made, there is still no official communication that Mbappe has reached an agreement with Real Madrid. There’s still nothing signed, despite some reports stating that it’s a done deal, to all intents and purposes.

“We don’t have anything official from PSG or Real Madrid yet either, but what we do know is that PSG probably won’t announce Mbappe’s departure until he’s communicated that he’s signed a contract with Real Madrid. Another key detail in terms of the timing of all this could be when it becomes clear