Real Madrid Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Kylian Mbappe and James Rodriguez

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has distanced himself from rumours the club wants to sign AS Monaco teenage striker Kylian Mbappe. Instead, Zidane has opted against speaking about a player who is becoming one of the most sought-after talents in Europe.

Speaking to Real's official website (h/t Patrick Surlis of Sky Sports), Zidane said:

"(Mbappe) is having an exceptional season, and so of course people are starting to talk for talking's sake. I only focus on the players I already have at my disposal—and that's it. It's not good to talk about players that you don't coach."

Zidane's words come after a report from Spanish publication Marca (h/t MailOnline's Anthony Hay) revealed Mbappe has given the go-ahead for a move to Los Blancos this summer, with Zidane reportedly a key factor in his decision.

The proposed transfer is set to cost Los Merengues around £85 million, per the reports.

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Real's chances of actually landing the prolific 18-year-old may indeed be strong, after reports from France have emerged suggesting Mbappe will turn down an approach from Manchester United.

French publication L'Equipe (h/t Metro) reported how Mbappe "has privately revealed his displeasure at the style of football being played at Old Trafford."

The player is also said to be concerned about the competition for places in a United squad where Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are the current striking options.

United were said to have seen a bid worth £72 million snubbed by Monaco earlier this week, according to Fabrizio Romano and Jamie Jackson of the Guardian. Their report also indicated Ligue 1 leaders Monaco are looking for £100 million for the precocious striker.

Whatever the fee, there can be little doubt Mbappe is a player on the rise, one possessing awesome talent and untapped potential. He's scored 24 times in all competitions this season, per WhoScored.com.

A move to Real would make perfect sense for Mbappe, since he wouldn't face too much competition for a starting place.

Fellow Frenchman Karim Benzema is still around, but the 29-year-old would surely be expected to make way for Mbappe. Benzema is even tipped to be available for sale this summer, per Spanish source Diario Gol (h/t James Walters of the Daily Star).

Meanwhile, centre-forward Alvaro Morata has been heavily linked with a move to Premier League leaders Chelsea, according to Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard.

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The path appears clear for Mbappe to work and learn alongside Real's superstar No. 7 Cristiano Ronaldo. It's a potential tandem good enough to maintain Los Blancos' dominance of the UEFA Champions League.

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Of course, investing heavily in Mbappe would no doubt require Real to sell a few key players of their own. One such player who reportedly could make way is Colombian attacking midfielder James Rodriguez.

Real want to sell the 25-year-old, per Sky Sports Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague, who has named United as front-runners:

There is no doubt James is a gifted creative player. He's blessed with natural flair, vision and acceleration in the final third.

However, the South American hasn't always found earning game time easy on Zidane's watch. In fact, he's made only 16 starts in all competitions this season, per WhoScored.com.

It's no surprise reports have emerged saying Zidane has told James he is free to leave this summer, according to Spanish source AS (h/t Metro).

Selling James for around €60 million would allow Real to fund moves for Mbappe and other prime targets. It's the same model Los Merengues followed in 2013, when Mesut Ozil and Gonzalo Higuain were sold to balance the books and pave the way for the then-world record transfer to sign Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur.

Moving on James and Benzema would surely put Mbappe firmly in Real's sights.