Real Madrid have 'total belief' they will seal Kylian Mbappe free transfer but PSG star won't sign until after CL clash

REAL MADRID are confident that they are on the verge of signing Kylian Mbappe, according to reports.

The Frenchman's Paris Saint-Germain contract is set to expire in June.

PSG are desperate to keep the talismanic forward, and rejected several big-money bids from Madrid last summer.

But the Spaniards now have 'total belief' that they will get their man for free in the summer.

According to AS, however, they will wait until after the Champions League round of 16 to announce the transfer.

Mbappe is free to talk to other clubs and even sign a pre-contract from January 1.

But PSG drawing Madrid in Europe has complicated matters.

Both Madrid and Mbappe want to avoid suggestions of a conflict of interests.

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So the agreement won't be signed until after the tie.

The first leg is set to take place on February 15 in Paris, while the return match in Madrid is scheduled for March 9.

French paper L'Equipe add that Mbappe's contract talks with PSG are at a total impasse.

The player himself has not hidden his desire to play for Madrid.

And amid talk of PSG offering huge money to keep him, Mbappe, 23, said: "Human bonds are more interesting than money."

The news comes amid a backdrop of rumoured player unrest and dysfunction behind the scenes at Parc des Princes.

Allegations of partying, a rivalry between goalkeepers, and the Mauro Icardi-Wanda saga has undermined PSG's football this season.

Mauricio Pochettino's men sit 13 points clear at the top of Ligue 1, but have been dogged by criticism for their style of football.

PSG stars mocked Mbappe's contract situation on his birthday last week.

As they celebrated they gifted him a PSG shirt with '2050' written on the back – joking that his move to Madrid will never happen.

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