Despite a monster last-ditch bid from Real Madrid, French superstar Kylian Mbappe is still a Paris Saint-Germain player following the closure of the summer transfer window around Europe on Tuesday. 

The 22-year-old forward has long been the top transfer target for Los Blancos, who are keen to strengthen their firepower in the final third after a disappointing season last time out. 

With Mbappe having less than a year to run on his contract with the Ligue 1 side - and refusing to entertain the idea of signing an extension - many believed it was inevitable that Real would get their man before the transfer deadline passed.

The 13-time European champions made no secret of the fact that they had deep coffers where Mbappe was concerned - and must surely have expected the resistance of PSG to end when they tabled a bid of €220 million for the player late on Tuesday evening.

After all, that offer is only just short of the staggering €222m world-record fee PSG themselves forked out to land Neymar from Barcelona in 2017.

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Absolute insane money to turn down, especially when you consider that Mbappe is free to leave the Parc des Princes for absolutely nothing when his current deal expires next summer.

However, the Parisian giants did not accept the bid, and time would ultimately run out on the transfer window before any further negotiations could take place.

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ENTER GIVEAWAY

The upshot of all this is that the 2018 World Cup winner will continue to ply his trade at PSG - alongside Neymar and Lionel Messi - until at least January, when the transfer window opens once again.

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The more likely scenario, though, is that Mbappe will now see out the remaining months on his PSG deal - before moving to Real on a free transfer. This plan of action was strongly teased by the player during an Instagram post made late on Tuesday.

"I respect, my brother, for your professionalism, reschedule your dreams for later, life is beautiful, you're the best," read Mbappe, per Marca, while Aerosmith's 'Dream On' played in the background. 

Mbappe has since deleted the clip, but its message was clear. To run out at the Bernabeu in Real Madrid colours has been a dream of his since childhood - and he doesn't seem in any mood to give up on it, despite PSG's hopes that he might be persuaded to sign a bumper new deal on a greater salary than both Messi and Neymar.

Mbappe still looks set to become a Real Madrid player, just not as swiftly as we all expected he would. 

Chelsea sign Saul Niguez (Via The Football Terrace)