Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe has now reportedly made a huge demand ahead of potentially joining LALIGA giants Real Madrid.
With Los Blancos legally able to begin pre-contract negotiations with the 24-year-old in January – provided he does not extend his deal with PSG before then – the France captain is said to be keen to keep 100% of his image rights, something that is extremely rare in football.
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Image rights entail the various rights an individual holds in their own identity (including their name, photo and likeness, signature, personal brand, endorsements, etc), and with all the commercial opportunities in sport, image rights have become very valuable assets.
It is said that Mbappe has insisted that he maintains all of those rights regardless of who he ends up joining next, and this is believed to be a serious sticking point for Real.
"They tell me that Kylian Mbappe still wants 100% of his image rights," Meritocracia Blanca journalist Andres Martinez wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), per PSG Talk.
"It is something basic that he transfers and will transfer to whoever wants to sign or renew him.
"Next year, the documentary he is making with his production company will be released."
It is further claimed that last year, the Les Bleus talisman and the Spanish club reached an agreement in which the player would keep 80% of the rights, while Real would have 20%.
Los Merengues are said to be adamant about maintaining that agreement, but it is unclear whether or not it will be accepted by Mbappe's camp in what would be a big compromise on their part.
According to reports, the Spanish side may yet decide to explore other options if the two parties cannot reach an understanding on the matter.
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Mbappe has scored nine goals and provided one assist in 10 appearances across all competitions for PSG so far this season.
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