Why isn’t Chelsea pursuing Kylian Mbappe this summer?

Math is easy and reliable. It doesn’t matter what language you speak, one plus one will always equal two. One: Chelsea needs a striker. Also one: Kylian Mbappe can fill that void. Shouldn’t the easy two be the Blues bidding for the French star?At this point, no one needs to be introduced to Mbappé. In December 2015, he became Monaco’s youngest ever first team player (16 years and 347 days) breaking Thierry Henry’s record set 21 years prior. On 20 February 2016, Mbappe scored his first goal for the club’s first team at the age of 17 years and 62 days, becoming the youngest first team goalscorer in the club’s history—once again breaking Henry’s record.

However, the mercurial youngster truly burst onto the scene in the 2016/17 season which ended with Monaco being crowned Ligue 1 champions.  This victory ended a drought that had lasted 17 years. Mbappé was the crown jewel of this young and exciting team that included the likes of Tiemoue Bakayoko, Bernado Silva, Thomas Lemar, Radamael Falcao and Benjamin Mendy.

Why isn’t Chelsea in on the Kylian Mbappe sweepstakes this summer?

The following season saw an exodus of top talent, with the team’s elite all poached by other European heavyweights. Unlike the others who went overseas, Mbappe signed for Paris Saint-Germain on an initial loan deal with a compulsory purchase clause for €175 million. The youngster has since gone from strength to strength. Aged just 22, he has scored or assisted 118 goals in 108 league games for PSG, winning the Ligue 1 Golden Boot award for the third year in a row. Incredibly, he has scored against 25 of the 26 Ligue 1 opponents he has faced, with his current team being the only blemish on his record.

Of the teams that finished in the top 10 last season, only Everton (47) and Arsenal (55) scored less than Chelsea’s 58 goals. Being outscored by the likes of Leicester (68) and West Ham (62) is indeed catastrophic. While the defense and midfield don’t need much of an upgrade, the Blues needs a goal-getter to compete with the top clubs in the Premier League. It is no surprise that the club has been continuously linked with Erling Haaland this summer.

However, Borussia Dortmund is once again proving to be a tough negotiator. After the sale of Jadon Sancho to Manchester United, its coffers are full enough to not have to sell its super striker, who is still signed to a multi-year deal. However, things are different with Mbappe. The World Cup winner has entered the last year of his contract and has shown reluctance to extend it. Although the PSG bosses say the player is not for sale, it would be stubborn of them to reject a bid northwards of £100 million and risk losing him for nothing in 11 months.

The only reason other clubs haven’t jumped at the opportunity yet is that most clubs have been financially decimated by the Coronavirus. Normal powerhouse Barcelona is sinking in debt to the extent of being unable to register new players. Real Madrid’s situation is not as dire, but it had to let captain Sergio Ramos leave to try and reduce its wage bill. Juventus is being crippled by both the virus and Cristiano Ronaldo’s mammoth wages, while Bayern refuses to spend that much on a single player. There is always the possibility that PSG may reject any advances, but it’s unforgivable that Chelsea has not submitted a bid yet.

Would you like to see the Blues pursue Mbappe? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!