The Saudi Pro League has been making waves in the soccer world with record-shattering transfer bids. But just when it seemed they had reached their limit with a $327 million attempt to lure Vinicius Junior, they’ve gone one step further. According to Defensa Central, a Saudi club is prepared to put $382 million on the table for Kylian Mbappe, a sum that would surpass Neymar‘s world transfer record.
The identity of the club remains undisclosed, but the intention is clear: Saudi Arabia wants to secure a marquee name capable of redefining its league’s global image. The staggering figure is accompanied by a promise to match or nearly match some of the sport’s highest-ever salaries, echoing their aggressive push to sign global icons in recent years. Yet despite the sheer size of the proposal, this pursuit has already hit a brick wall, one that stands firmly in the Spanish capital.
For Mbappe, the timing of the offer could not have been more peculiar. Fresh from achieving his long-held dream of joining Real Madrid and leaving behind the turbulent years at Paris Saint-Germain, the 26-year-old Frenchman is in no mood to trade Europe’s grandest stages for the Saudi desert.
When presented at the Santiago Bernabeu, he delivered a line that now resonates louder than ever: “Dreams are not for sale.” His focus is fixed on competing for the UEFA Champions League, cementing his place among Europe’s elite, and preparing for the 2026 World Cup. As the report put it, this is “not just about money; it’s about legacy.”
Real Madrid’s response revealed
In the middle of this high-stakes saga, Goal and Defensa Central confirm that Real Madrid’s leadership did not hesitate to respond to the Saudi overture. Club president Florentino Perez reportedly dismissed the offer outright, making it clear Mbappe is “not for sale” at any price, at least for now.
The rationale is straightforward: Los Blancos consider Mbappe their most valuable sporting and commercial asset. Beyond his lethal finishing, he is a global brand ambassador for the club, and any sale would undermine both Madrid’s on-pitch ambitions and off-pitch revenue streams.
Pattern in Saudi spending
The Mbappe approach is not an isolated incident. The Saudi Pro League has been on a spending spree, signing household names like Cristiano Ronaldo and attempting audacious bids for stars still in their prime. The failed $327 million offer for Vinicius earlier this summer underscores their ambition — and their frustration when European giants refuse to cooperate.
The strategy is simple but risky: offer unprecedented sums to secure big names, hoping that their arrival will bring instant legitimacy to the league. Yet so far, while they have succeeded in attracting some high-profile veterans, the prime-age superstars remain largely unmoved.
