When one domino falls… The news of Kylian Mbappe’s definite Paris Saint-Germain exit at the end of the season triggered inevitable stories and rumours of his successor at Parc des Princes.Who’ll be good enough to fill those shoes and carry such a heavy and challenging burden? At the moment, there’s not a single forward in the world that possesses Mbappe’s skills and qualities. However, that doesn’t mean the French side won’t find a proper replacement, and L’Equipe already speculates on possible candidates for PSG’s superstar position.The calling of Real Madrid: Perez and Ancelotti won’t seduce Mbappe with money – but with gloryThe Parisians have plenty of time to prepare massive signings that can keep the fans relatively calm at losing their star man.The most likely targets for the Ligue 1 giants are two Africans and two Portuguese forwards: Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva, and his compatriot currently plying trade at AC Milan, Rafael Leao.No doubt whatsoever! Mbappe tells PSG he’s leavingOsimhen and Leao have recently signed new contracts with massive release clauses, as Leao is expected to be at circa €175m and Osimhen closer to €130m.Bernardo Silva’s contract at Etihad runs out in June 2026, while Salah is reaching his final year at Anfield as his current deal is set to expire in 2025.##NAJAVA_MECA_7881135##L’Equipe’s sources say that PSG are ready to spend around €240m for the new top signing, and, basically, now it’s up to Luis Enrique and Nasser Al-Khelaifi to decide who’ll be their top transfer target. Without Mbappe, PSG probably won’t be able to offer more than ludicrous amounts of money. Even with him in the squad (and Messi and Neymar and many other stars), the Saints constantly failed to clinch any European silverware. Winning the domestic titles is fine, but it seems it can be done with or without Mbappe. Still, to go all the way in the Champions League, PSG would need more than just a star signing, regardless of his name. Leao, Osimhen, Salah and Bernardo Silva are spectacular players – no doubt there – but they’re not magicians. And inevitable comparisons with Mbappe and his legacy at Parc des Princes would do them no good, either.
