Monaco threatens disciplinary action for clubs tapping up Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe is one of the most sought-after players on the planet, and no club is more aware of that than Monaco.

Upon learning that "important European football clubs" have been approaching its teenage prodigy without consent, Monaco issued a statement on Thursday saying it's considering "asking the French Football League (Ligue de Football Professionnel) and FIFA to commit disciplinary procedures" against those found guilty of tapping up Mbappe.

The complaint concerns Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Paris Saint-Germain, according to the Guardian's Jamie Jackson, rather than other rumoured interested parties such as Arsenal and Liverpool.

Monaco is having to barricade the doors of the Stade Louis II as many leading sides look to pilfer some of its best talent. Manchester City was already successful in its peruse of the principality outfit by signing Bernardo Silva for £43.6 million back in May, and then Chelsea dipped into the Ligue 1 champion's supplies to nab £40-million man Tiemoue Bakayoko last week.

Benjamin Mendy and Fabinho have also been regular features in the rumour mill, but no players have hogged the backpages as much as 18-year-old Mbappe.

The former standout of the famed Clairefontaine academy exploded onto the domestic and continental scene last season, scoring 15 goals en route to his club's first league title in 17 years, and netting six as Monaco reached the Champions League semi-finals.

It wasn't long before Mbappe won international recognition, and he already has four caps to his name as he vies for selection with Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Alexandre Lacazette, Ousmane Dembele, Kevin Gameiro, and others in a stacked French contingent.

He continues to draw comparisons to compatriot Thierry Henry, who was also plying his trade at Monaco in his formative years.

Tapping up has become a hot topic in European football after Liverpool was publicly shamed in its pursuit for Virgil van Dijk. When reports surfaced that the Dutch defender had chosen the Reds over a series of potential suitors, Southampton publicly denigrated Liverpool's conduct in its pursuit of Van Dijk, accusing the Merseyside club of approaching its player without permission.

Liverpool promptly backed out of its interest in Van Dijk in an apology to Southampton.

Two of the clubs allegedly culpable for tapping up Mbappe, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, already don't have the greatest reputations with the football authorities. Both have had their spending curtailed by UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations in the past, and the former is currently banned from purchasing English-based academy players for two years after making illegal approaches for youngsters from Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, respectively.

Real Madrid has also been in hot water with FIFA, serving a transfer ban during the January transfer window for breaking rules regarding the purchase of foreign players under the age of 18.