Kylian Mbappe Joins PSG on Season-Long Loan with Option of 4-Year Contract

Paris Saint-Germain have completed the signing of Kylian Mbappe from AS Monaco, with the 18-year-old sensation agreeing to a one-year loan deal at the Parc des Princes. Les Parisiens announced they have the option to offer him a long-term contract until June 2022 at the end of the season.

The Ligue 1 powerhouse revealed their latest capture on Thursday, hours before the summer transfer window was scheduled to close:

Mbappe will move to PSG on a temporary basis to begin with, and according to Sky Sports News, they will be obliged to sign the forward for £166 million next summer.

The Ligue 1 club will be delighted to have got this deal over the line, as Mbappe is considered one of the most exciting prospects in world football at the moment; PSG have already spent big to land Neymar this summer, luring him from Barcelona for a world-record fee.

The France international wasn't a first-team regular for Leonardo Jardim's side at the start of the 2016-17 season but did impress in some cameo appearances. Despite his tender years, eventually he did enough to force his way into the XI consistently.

Indeed, Mbappe was central to Monaco going on to win the Ligue 1 title, as his explosive talents proved too much to handle for many defenders at the point of the attack. He finished the season with 15 league goals.

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For a young man, his intelligence and awareness in the final third is so impressive. Mbappe is adept at pinning defenders and hanging on the shoulder of opponents to create space for himself. But he's also brilliant at finding space in crowded penalty areas with quick changes of direction.

Musa Okwonga of BBC believes Mbappe is the most exciting talent to come along in quite a while:

The youngster's performances in the UEFA Champions League add to his tremendous reputation.

Indeed, while Monaco were eventually eliminated by an imperious Juventus side at the semi-final stage, Mbappe's stunning form contributed to their tournament success. Against Manchester City in the round of 16 and Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals, he was outstanding and netted five goals in the four matches.

As noted by WhoScored.com, that haul was only matched and eventually bettered by Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo:

Moving at this stage in his career may represent something of a gamble for Mbappe. The money PSG are paying for his services will mean every touch of the ball he takes will be scrutinised. With that in mind, it wouldn't be a massive surprise if the youngster took some time to get up to full speed.

But there's no doubt PSG have bagged themselves a superstar. Mbappe has the talent and the temperament to become one of the best players of his generation, and should he fulfill his potential at the Parc des Princes, the club will enjoy a prosperous spell.