Kylian Mbappe is not the only superstar footballer who is looking to exit his present club as a free agent this summer. Others in this forthcoming embarrassment of riches include Gareth Bale, Paul Pogba, Luis Suarez, Paulo Dybala, and Angel Di Maria.
Sputnik takes a sneak peek at the present status of these men weeks ahead of their official departures from their respective clubs.
Kylian Mbappe
Widely regarded as the most talented youngster in the football world, Mbappe is reportedly moving to Real Madrid with Spanish outlet Marca claiming that a deal between the French star and the newly crowned La Liga giants has been reached.
The World Cup winner has already spent five years at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and tasted immense success there, having led them to multiple Ligue 1 titles during his tenure at the Parc des Princes.
But the French outfit's failure to end their jinx in the UEFA Champions League seems to have changed Mbappe's mind and the 23-year-old is now looking at greener pastures with Santiago Bernabeu being his likely destination for his next chapter in football.
Paul Pogba
Pogba's traumatic five-year spell at Man United is set to end in June after the France international decided against signing a contract extension despite being given the choice to do so.
Pogba, who never really settled in to Old Trafford, has been heavily linked with a move back to his former club Juventus but nothing has been finalised, at least not yet.
Real Madrid and PSG are also among the suitors for Pogba's signature, but the 29-year-old midfielder's consistent troubles with injury and his high price could end up queering his pitch, considering his form has remained inconsistent for a prolonged time now.
Gareth Bale
Bale's Real Madrid career can easily be compared with Pogba's stint at United as the Welshman's residence has proved something of an anticlimax after the great fanfare which accompanied his signing.
After spending nine long years in the Spanish capital, where he could never cement his position in the side, Bale's contract with the 13-time European champions comes to an end this summer.
Despite his best efforts, the 32-year-old winger never got the love and respect he felt he deserved from Los Blancos fans with his agent Jonathan Barnett once declaring that he "didn't care" about them.
Barnett even labelled their treatment of Bale as "distasteful".
"It's not important, I don't care what they think. I don't care about [Real Madrid fans]. Why should I care? I think the fans treated him disgustingly," Barnett told Spain-based media outlet Deportes Cuatro.
Bale, however, doesn't have too many options. He could return to Tottenham, where he was on loan last season and did reasonably well.
Luis Suarez
Suarez, who was a member of the holy trinity of Lionel Messi, himself, and Neymar at Barcelona, signed a two-year deal with Atletico Madrid after the 2019-20 season.
Although he enjoyed his time at the Wanda Metropolitano, powering Diego Simeone's side to La Liga glory in his debut season, he appears to be past his prime, having turned 35 this year.
Additionally, the Uruguayan no longer commands the same respect and sway, for example, that someone such as Lionel Messi has at PSG.
Suarez's future, however, is not looking so bright at this stage as no major club has approached him for his services. But he could still surprise us all.
Paulo Dybala
Widely considered one of the most successful players to have played for Juventus, Dybala joined the Italian club in 2015 before leading them to five Serie A trophies and four Coppa Italia titles.
Before announcing his split with the Old Lady last weekend, it was widely expected that the Argentina international was interested in extending his stay in Turin.
But recent reports suggest the 28-year-old is in talks with Liverpool and Man City for a potential switch to the Premier League.
Though Dybala is parting ways with the Italian giants, he's still loved by the Bianconeri faithful who gave him a standing ovation in his last game for the club on Tuesday.
Dybala scored a highly impressive 115 goals in 292 games in all competitions for the club.
Angel Di Maria
Lionel Messi's PSG and Argentina teammate Angel Di Maria's seven-year relationship with the current Ligue 1 champions is also coming to an end in the coming weeks.
At 34, he is also the same age as Messi and had previously hinted at staying with PSG. When it became clear that it was not a possibility, he pragmatically decided he wanted to return to his formative club Rosario Central.
It would not be a surprise if the winger is seen playing in his native Argentina in 2022-23.