Kylian Mbappe refuses Al Hilal talks after Paris Saint-Germain accept record-smashing bid - reports

Kylian Mbappe has refused to open talks with Al Hilal after the Saudi club had a record-smashing bid accepted by Paris Saint-Germain.

The French superstar was the subject of a €300 million (£259m) offer on Tuesday that would break the current world transfer record of €222m, paid by PSG to Barcelona for Neymar in 2017.

The bid was accepted by PSG, who are desperate to avoid losing Mbappe on a free transfer when his contract expires next summer.

But outlets including L’Equipe and Sky Sports reported on Wednesday that Mbappe has refused to meet representatives from the Saudi club to discuss a move.

A delegation from the Saudi Pro League side is in the French capital this week and hoped to oversee a transfer that would send shockwaves through the football world.

But Mbappe’s representatives won’t speak to them as he will not consider a move to the Middle East.

Al Hilal's audacious move comes amid tensions in Paris over Mbappe’s future.

The forward was excluded from PSG’s pre-season tour of Asia after speculation that he has already agreed to join Real Madrid as a free agent next summer when his contract expires.

The free-spending of Saudi Pro League clubs has been a major talking point this summer, with the likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly joining Cristiano Ronaldo in the Middle East.

But the capture of Mbappe would be by far the most significant deal yet, with the 24-year-old in the prime of his career and widely regarded as one of the best players in the world.

Mbappe is entering the final year of his lucrative contract in the French capital.

The striker has long been linked with Real Madrid and his desire to join the Spanish giants has caused a rift with his current employers.

PSG's eagerness to avoid losing their star player for nothing means they are willing to sell him, but they will want to recoup the £150m they spent to bring him in permanently from Monaco in 2018.

Mbappe was left out of PSG’s tour to Japan and South Korea this week, a move that caused the French players’ union to accuse the club of “moral harassment".

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