Mbappe: Real Madrid's been chasing me for years
Kylian Mbappe registered on Real Madrid's radar well before his breakout season at AS Monaco.
The 18-year-old French prodigy revealed Tuesday that Los Blancos have had their eyes on him for the past four years.
"They've been trying to sign me since I was 14," Mbappe told Canal+ after France edged out England in a thrilling friendly, as translated by AFP's Tom Williams.
Related: Dembele leads 10-man France past England in frantic friendly
Mbappe, who struck the crossbar and set up international teammate Ousmane Dembele for the 3-2 winner, has reportedly fielded world-record bids above the €100-million mark. That's a testament to the incredible sense of cool and maturity Mbappe displayed as he scored 26 goals in his first full season as a Monaco starter.
Madrid reportedly tested Monaco's resolve last month with a €120-million bid, which was duly rejected.
That wasn't a surprising development given vice-president Vadim Vasilyev's strong position on the player.
"He doesn't have a price," he said in May.
Arsenal has also emerged as a contender for Mbappe's signature in recent weeks. Considering Arsene Wenger's close ties with French football, and the fact he went to Mbappe's house last year to convince him to sign with the Gunners, the north London side has hope it can lure him with the promise of guaranteed playing time, according to The Telegraph's Jeremy Wilson.
Mbappe has a contract with the Ligue 1 champion until June 2019.