In a surprising turn of events, Barcelona's ambitious attempt to secure Kylian Mbappe's services through a swap deal involving Ousmane Dembele and Gavi has spectacularly backfired.
Instead of the Catalan giants landing the French superstar, Mbappe has reportedly decided to remain with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), leaving Barcelona and their transfer strategy in disarray.
Mbappe's future has been the subject of intense speculation, with PSG willing to sell the star forward after he made it clear that he would not extend his contract with the club beyond its current term.
This development allowed him to potentially leave as a free agent in 2024, a prospect that many top European clubs found enticing.
Earlier, Al-Hilal from the Saudi Pro League was ready to splash a staggering £259 million to acquire Mbappe for a single season, with the understanding that he would then move to Real Madrid without any transfer fee involved.
However, this proposal was declined by Mbappe, leading to suspicions that he already has an agreement in place to join the Spanish giants next summer.
Amidst this whirlwind of transfer rumors, Barcelona entered the picture with an unexpected offer.
The La Liga champions reportedly proposed a swap deal, offering Ousmane Dembele and Gavi to PSG in exchange for Mbappe.
Unfortunately for Barcelona, Dembele's entourage believes that this offer was genuine, and the French winger now wants to leave Barcelona to join the Ligue 1 champions.
While PSG ultimately turned down the swap offer, they are still keen to secure a transfer fee for Mbappe.
The player's release clause stands at €50 million, but it expires at the end of July, creating a time-sensitive situation.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano stated that the deal's success hinged on Dembele's willingness to trigger his release clause, which PSG seems reluctant to pay in one go.
In a twist of financial complexity, Dembele's contract includes a €50 million release clause, yet Barcelona's financial troubles prevented them from offering a loyalty bonus during contract negotiations last year.
This meant that Dembele's representatives are entitled to 50% of any future transfer fee, resulting in Barcelona potentially receiving only €25 million if the release clause is activated.
Meanwhile, Mbappe is facing a Monday midnight deadline to trigger a one-year contract extension, which would earn him a substantial loyalty bonus of €60 million.
The irony of the situation is not lost, as he fulfills the terms of his contract, whether he stays or leaves PSG.
As the clock ticks towards the end of July, PSG faces the challenge of securing Mbappe's transfer fee while Barcelona contends with the ramifications of their rejected swap proposal.
With the superstar's future still uncertain, the football world watches closely to see how this high-stakes transfer saga will unfold.