Kylian Mbappe only made his first team debut in December 2015, but the AS Monaco forward has lit the football world alight with a series of unstoppable performances in Ligue 1 and in the Champions League.
Now, Europe’s elite football clubs are after him.
After a club-record bid of €100 million (£87.5 million) from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was rejected on Friday, Mbappe is likely to become the world’s first £100 million transfer.
Real Madrid and Manchester City are both reportedly eager to sign the 18-year-old, and Arsenal is preparing to make another bid for £95 million, according to The Express.
So why is the sporting world so fascinated with Mbappe?
Scroll down to see everything you need to know about the French phenomenon.
This is Kylian Mbappe, the 18-year-old footballer who has been scoring sublime goals all season.
Mbappe was born on December 12, 1998. The Frenchman had a notable talent for football at a young age and was schooled at the famed Clairfontaine Academy, the same football centre that developed William Gallas, Nicolas Anelka, and Thierry Henry.
https://twitter.com/BetBright/status/854785289168056320
He represented a Chelsea youth team when he spent a short-term trial period in west London at the age of 11. He played against Charlton Athletic but went on to sign for AS Monaco.
https://twitter.com/ThePhoenixPM/status/862020171782926336
Mbappe made his Monaco debut aged 16, becoming the club's youngest-ever player (and breaking Thierry Henry's record that stood for 21 years). He scored his first goal in February 2016, aged 17 (again, breaking a record previously set by Henry).
His style of play is direct but unselfish. He is agile, has a low centre of gravity, has an explosive turn of pace, and is fast with and without the ball. Mbappe is an excellent dribbler, he is dominant on the left wing, and a constant threat when in shooting range.
Kylian Mbappe may turn into one of football's highest-earning superstars, but the player remains grounded. His mum still drives him to and from football training. "I may be ahead of my age, but in real life I am still a kid," he told BeIN Sport. "Footballer does not rhyme with Ferrari, I have no car, it's not a big deal."
http://instagr.am/p/BQgC5JwlKLl
Source: BeIN Sport
Though now he beats his records, he idolised Thierry Henry as a kid. "Thierry Henry is a childhood hero. He congratulated me on winning [the UEFA Under-19 Championships], he said he watched it, that I was good, and that I must keep going."
https://twitter.com/FootballFunnys/status/856893072059355136
Source: Ligue1.com
"Oh la la, my word he is good!" Henry once said of Mbappe. "I've met him and I really like watching him play. He's a thinker on the football. Yes, he's quick, but he's got a brain and will go a long way in the game."
Source: Canal+
But could Henry, a former youth coach at Arsenal, help Mbappe bloom? "When you have a kid with that much talent, what can you teach him?" he said. "It's more about brain development and becoming a killer. Don't just watch the ball, study the movement off of it. Understand who is weak and who you should attack."
Source: Canal+
Kylian Mbappe has already accumulated killer statistics. At 18 years old, 178cm tall, and 68kg, he still has room to grow, but he has attracted worldwide attention for scoring or creating one goal for every 70 minutes he played in the 2016-2017 season.
As a result of his awe-inspiring displays in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, he is now coveted by the world's best clubs like Arsenal, Manchester City, and Real Madrid.
https://twitter.com/TeamCRonaldo/status/842415678535696385
Arsene Wenger is one of Mbappe's greatest admirers. Yes, the Frenchman recently bid £87.5 million for the Monaco forward, but he also visited him at home in France last year. "I was at his home to try to get him to Arsenal, but Monaco managed to keep him," Wenger said.
Source: BeIN Sport
Though Mbappe has the football world at his feet, he could be swayed by the allure of Arsenal. French journalists say Mbappe would be interested in having a Gunners team built around him and relish receiving the same treatment Henry enjoyed in North London.
Source: L'Equipe
If Arsenal, or Real Madrid, were to sign Mbappe, then they would need to pay Monaco a world-record sum — potentially £100 million. A bid of £87 million has already been rejected, but considering the player's potential, it may be worth returning to the negotiating table.
So is the future bright for Mbappe?
Together with a succession of goals in Europe's toughtest competition, the Champions League, this goal - one which sealed Monaco's first league championship title in 17 years - indicates it is.
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Kylian Mbappe scored the goalthat sealed Monaco's first league title in 17 years!ðx¥ðx This kid has a big future... pic.twitter.com/ev3CDoAZHV
— UK Football Trials (@UKFootballTrial) May18, 2017
Kylian Mbappe scored the goalthat sealed Monaco's first league title in 17 years!ðx¥ðx This kid has a big future... pic.twitter.com/ev3CDoAZHV