Chelsea transfer news: Blues plotting world-record swoop for Mbappe with eye-watering bid considered

Talk is growing that Kylian Mbappe's season at Real Madrid has left him so disillusioned that he may be ready to leave his dream club. And in Spain, reports are emerging that Chelsea could be prepared to make a monumental investment to bring him to London — where Xabi Alonso, a manager said to have a strong connection with the forward, is now in charge.

Mbappe was, particularly in the first half of this season, undeniably Real Madrid's best player. His numbers support that: 41 goals in 43 appearances across all competitions, an average of almost a goal per game, represents a remarkable return.

Despite the club's difficult start to the campaign, the French forward delivered extraordinary value on the pitch. Yet Real Madrid's season as a whole has once again fallen short — significantly worse than last year's — largely due to internal problems in which Mbappe has played a part. It is worth noting, however, that the narrative portraying him as the dressing room villain has been exaggerated. In reality, it was Mbappe who reportedly stood behind the sacked Xabi Alonso when others did not.

A world-record transfer on the horizon?

Alonso, of course, will become Chelsea's new boss next season. And according to Spanish newspaper El Nacional, Mbappe would be open to following him to London, given that the situation at Real Madrid has frustrated and disappointed him. He is slowly losing faith in the project, faith that Jose Mourinho will now attempt to restore as he takes charge and sets about rebuilding the squad.

El Nacional reports that Chelsea would be willing to shatter the world transfer record to land Mbappe. That benchmark currently stands at £189m (€222m), set by Neymar's move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain, a deal that Mbappe is still second to in the all-time rankings, having cost Paris Saint-Germain £153m (€180m) when they signed him from Monaco.

Chelsea's level below what Mbappe is used to

The question is whether Chelsea could realistically pull this off. Nobody doubts that the funds exist — but would financial fair play regulations, which have long proved problematic for Chelsea, allow it? And would signing Mbappe crowd out the other improvements that Alonso will certainly want to make elsewhere in the squad?

If it happened, it would be the transfer of the summer by some distance. For Chelsea, it would represent a signing that divides club history into before and after. Mbappe is a guarantee of quality, of goals, of footballing excellence at its most spectacular. Yet there would need to be a degree of adaptation. At Chelsea, there are simply very few players who come anywhere close to his level. There is a real risk it would become a frustrating experience, because, at least in purely sporting terms, Chelsea currently operate below the standard this player is accustomed to.