PSG line up Chelsea top transfer target as Mbappe replacement

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 15 Feb 2024 21:21 GMT
• 3 min read

Paris Saint-Germain are already preparing for life after Kylian Mbappe, with a host of world class forwards on the shortlist to replace their star man, who will leave in the summer.

Mbappe informed PSG this week of his decision to depart upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season, with the 25-year-old likely to join Real Madrid.

However, FootballTransfers was told that there will be ‘no mourning’ over Mbappe in Paris, with the club now committed to pursuing a new era around young talents such as Warren Zaire-Emery, Bradley Barcola and Xavi Simons.

Despite the relaxed nature over Mbappe’s exit, PSG will still feel the effect of seeing the second-highest scorer in Europe leave them and the club are willing to spend big to replace their talisman, who has netted 20 times in 19 Ligue 1 games.

The Athletic state that Napoli star Victor Osimhen features prominently on PSG’s shortlist, while French outlet SportsZone claim that Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig and Inter’s Lautaro Martinez are also admired by the club.

Although there is a desire to sign another forward, PSG are also satisfied with their strength in depth in attack, having signed strikers Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani last summer, along with forwards Barcola, Marco Asensio and Ousmane Dembele.

The lowdown on PSG’s top Mbappe replacements

Osimhen is likely to be PSG’s priority target given his likelihood to leave Napoli despite having signed a new contract with the club last year, with his new deal believed to contain a release clause of more than €100 million, although Chelsea are thought to be leading the race for the 25-year-old.

PSG advisor Luis Campos previously signed Osimhen for Lille, while Napoli maintain a good relationship with the French side, having sold Edinson Cavani, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Fabian Ruiz, to them in recent years.

Osimhen would arguably represent the closest player in terms of pedigree to Mbappe, having scored 33 league goals for Napoli since the start of last season, although he has been outpaced this year by Martinez in Serie A.

Martinez is on course for his best campaign ever, having netted 19 times in 21 games this season – seven more than any other player in Serie A and one behind Mbappe’s current total this year.

However, both Martinez and Osimhen would cost a considerably high amount, while Sesko is believed to also have a buyout in his contract but for a more affordable €50m.

Sesko would represent more of a project for PSG, having scored just six times in the Bundesliga this season and still yet to establish himself as a first choice starter for RB Leipzig.