Julen Lopetegui Plays Down Real Madrid Links with Neymar, Kylian Mbappe

Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui has refused to be drawn on his club's reported interest in Paris Saint-Germain attackers Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

According to Jack Otway of the Daily Express, the coach said he did not want to discuss the futures of either world-class talent.

"An interest in Neymar and Mbappe?" said Lopetegui. "I will not talk about players who are not part of my team, it would be disrespectful. I like [Gareth] Bale, [Karim] Benzema and Lucas Vasquez. Neymar and Mbappe are two fantastic players, but I do not pay attention, they are not in my team."

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Both players have been linked with transfers before Lopetegui's arrival at Los Blancos, and the club needs to find a superstar to fill the boots of Cristiano Ronaldo.

European football expert Kieran Canning of Agence France-Presse has said he thinks Real president Florentino Perez might make a move for Neymar next summer.

Speaking to the BBC Euro League Podcast (h/t Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star), Canning mused Real will bide their time before deciding on what they would pay for either Neymar or Mbappe.

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Canning said:

"You look at the market and think - who can they get?

"The mood music is that they may be keeping their powder dry to try and get Neymar next summer, presuming PSG don’t have any further complications with FFP.

"Neymar would fit the bill from a marketing point of view, but also in a sporting context, filling that same role that Ronaldo had on the field.

"But it’s hard to get PSG to sell a Neymar or Mbappe.

"They’re not going to get [Lionel] Messi."

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Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev has said Perez has confided in him and admits he's frustrated Mbappe was sold to PSG.

In an interview with RMC (h/t ESPN's Robbie Dunne), Vasilyev said Perez was keen to sign the France wonderkid.

"I spoke with Florentino, and each time he sees me he blames me for not selling Kylian to him," Vasilyev said. "I always tell him that it was up to the boy, but Florentino still blames me and says: 'Vadim, you did not sell Kylian to me!'"

The long-term futures of both players are unknown, but Real must sign a world superstar in the next 12 months—as they reboot the Galactico philosophy.

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Perez's vision for his club has always been clear, and with three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles in the bag, the president is unlikely to change the way he does business.

Neymar remains the biggest name in world football behind Ronaldo and Messi, but Mbappe could be the better long-term addition.

The Frenchman was irresistible as France prevailed at Russia 2018, and he will only improve as he continues to mature in Paris.

Mbappe could soon surpass Neymar's productivity and become the hottest property in Europe.