PSG director Leonardo has accused Real Madrid of making an illegal approach for PSG star Kylian Mbappe.
What's the latest transfer news involving Kylian Mbappe?
News has emerged over the last 24 hours of Real Madrid launching a £137m bid for the French World Cup winner.
GIVEMESPORT has already questioned the financial sense of the bid considering Mbappe will be available on a free transfer next summer, and it appears Leonardo is sceptical about the Spanish giants' intentions.
Speaking to RMC Sport, as translated by Get French Football News, he claims Real Madrid's bid is merely a strategy to show their interest in Mbappe before negotiating a bosman deal next year.
Interestingly, he also accused them of illegally making contact with the 22-year-old.
What has Leonardo said about Real Madrid's Mbappe bid?
As well as confirming Real Madrid had made an offer for Mbappe and that PSG had verbally turned it down, the PSG director took issue with how the Frenchman's suitors have behaved in the transfer market.
As quoted by Get French Football News, he told RMC Sport: " In terms of our position on Real, it seems like a strategy to try to get a no from us, to show that they have tried everything and to wait for a year to get him for free.
"For the last 2 years, Real Madrid have been behaving like this, it is not correct, illegal even because they contacted the player. It is unacceptable for us, because it is not correct.
"It is proof of the strategy: an offer comes 1 year before the end of his contract and 7 days before the end of the window. They want us to reject to show to Kylian that they tried everything and to start negotiating for next year."
Will Mbappe sign for Real Madrid?! Find out all the latest on The Football Terrace...
Why would contacting Mbappe be illegal?
Technically, interested clubs are only allowed to talk to potential signings once they've agreed a transfer fee with their current side or have otherwise been given permission to discuss a move with them.
But the truth of the matter is that so-called 'tapping up' happens all the time in modern football and it's practically impossible to police properly.
There have been notorious incidents in the past resulting in punishments such as Gael Kakuta's move to Chelsea, although that was subsequently overturned.
But from not-so-coincidental rendezvous between managers, players and agents who happen to have chosen the same summer holiday destination to Mino Raiola actively touring Europe to gauge clubs' interest in Erling Haaland, it doesn't seem a great deal can really be done to stop such practices.
With that in mind, it appears incredibly unlikely Leonardo will be taking his claim of illegal contact with Mbappe to football's leading authorities.