Thursday 13 July 2017 14:58, UK
Manchester City are working hard to sign teenage French prodigy Kylian Mbappe this summer, according to Spanish football expert Graham Hunter.
Real Madrid are understood to be leading the race for the 18-year-old, while Sky Sports News HQ have reported that Arsenal, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain also want the forward, who scored 27 goals last season.
Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez is high on Pep Guardiola's wanted list but Arsene Wenger is determined to keep the Chilean, who has one year remaining on his contract at the Emirates Stadium.
Landing Mbappe, who is widely viewed as one of the top young players in world football, would be a sensational alternative and Hunter says City have been trying to convince his representatives of the benefits of continuing his development under Guardiola.
"City are talking actively to Mbappe's representatives, saying they are best placed to develop his career, where he could work with Pep Guardiola and be paid handsomely," Hunter told Sky Sports News HQ.
"Real Madrid, meanwhile, are wooing Mbappe's agents saying they will break the transfer record for this kid. Zidane, of course, has known Mbappe since he was 14.
"The battle is with Manchester City and they are persuasive and Mbappe is now thinking long and hard between London, Madrid, Paris and now Manchester. City are in that battle.
"At the moment it's hard to see him choosing Monaco over one of those, but none of clubs know who is favourite to sign this exceptional 18-year-old."
Graham Hunter was speaking at the opening of the opening of Scotland's first Cryuff Court - a free to access multi-purpose sports and recreation facility - in Aberdeen. The project was brought to the Granite City by the The Denis Law Legacy Trust in partnership with Aberdeen City Council, the Cruyff Foundation, the People's Postcode Lottery, Tiger Turf and Hunter Construction Ltd.
