Juventus leapfrog Real Madrid and Manchester United as they ‘make contact’ with Kylian Mbappe… and also eye Tiemoue Bakayoko in £150million double deal
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JUVENTUS have leapfrogged Real Madrid in the chase for Kylian Mbappe.
The European giants go head-to-head in the Champions League final in Cardiff next weekend.
But they are also set for a slugfest off the pitch as they battle for the Monaco sensation.
Madrid are understood to have had a whopping £103million bid turned down by the French champions last week.
Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool are all known admirers – with Kop boss Jurgen Klopp reportedly failing with a £64m move earlier this month.
But, according to Italian paper , Juventus are now in the driving seat after holding positive talks with the whizkid striker.
And they could even make it a mega-money double swoop after also expressing an interest midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko.
The French destroyer, 22, is another Premier League target this summer with United, Liverpool and Chelsea all linked with a £43m move.
That means the Old Lady could be forced to shell out a combined £150m to land the Principality pair.
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Mbappe, 19, burst onto the scene in Ligue 1 this season and netted an incredible 18 goals in 21 games since February.
That included a strike against Juventus in Turin in the Champions League semi-final –which the Italians won 4-1 on aggregate.
Monaco indicated this week that they will not block a world record move should the France international decide to leave.
And Mbappe has indicated that he could be ready to move, if he is guaranteed first-team football.
Speaking to beIN SPORTS, he said: “I will make a choice based on my sporting career, and my career is first and foremost. I am at an age where I need to play, and that will be paramount.
“I’m not 35 or 36, an age where I have to manage [my body]. I still have everything to learn - this year was discovery, and now comes the most important step: confirmation.
“I will be the sole decision-maker, and I will not go anywhere where I will be forced to go.”