Kylian Mbappe is flirting with Real Madrid - he has been for quite some time. This melodrama, one which presumably concludes with Mbappe standing with a smirk in front of the famous wall of Champions League trophies at Valdebebas, is winding to its end. And although it will certainly leave Florentino Perez, Carlo Ancelotti and co. dreaming of another year of glittering success, Paris Saint-Germain will have to confront the reality of being without their all-time top goalscorer.
That is mostly because Mbappe cannot be replaced. The Parisians, though, can change. It's a process that football advisor Luis Campos kicked off last season by bringing in 12 new recruits, all signed to soften the blow of an Mbappe-less future in the French capital.
The biggest new arrival, though, might be a player who hasn't yet appeared for the club since his return in 2023. RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons is technically is currently in Germany on loan from PSG, and in all likelihood will make a proper return to Paris this summer.
After two seasons away, the 20-year-old could be the final piece in PSG's post-Mbappe puzzle, the face of a team refurbished and ready to stay competitive on Europe's biggest stage.