Mbappé still on board as Monaco prepare for PSG clash

Monaco take on Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday in Tangier for the Trophée des Champions - the curtain raiser to the football season in France .

Kylian Mbappé is wanted by Real Madrid and Manchester City. Reuters/Ralph Orlowsk

For the past four years PSG have gone into the clash as winners of Ligue 1.

But following a swashbuckling season in which they scored 107 goals, Monaco have seized that crown and PSG compete as holders of the French Cup.

The game will be all about bragging rights ahead of the top flight campaign which begins on 4 August when Monaco entertain Toulouse at the Stade Louis II.

Both sides will go into Saturday's game in Morocco with different compositions. PSG have been bolstered in defence by the arrival of Dani Alves from Juventus.

The 34-year-old Brazilian declined a chance to be reunited with his former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, opting to go to the French capital instead of instead of Manchester City.

Three of Monaco's players have left the principality, though. Two - Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy - have taken the Pep pound at City while Tiémoué Bakayoko has gone to London to join Antonio Conte's Premier League champions Chelsea. From the transfers Monaco have banked 140 million euros.

"We did some fantastic things at Monaco, like winning a title and getting to the semis of the Champions League," said 22-year-old Silva. "But I think it was a good time to leave."

Money, money, money

The Portugal international will at least have one familar face in the shape of Mendy who became the world's most expensive defender when Monaco agreed to the 58-million-euro transfer.

Another 180 million euros could travel into Monaco's coffers if they sell Kylian Mbappé. The 18-year-old is, along with Barcelona's Neymar, one of the most coveted players of the transfer window. Real Madrid and Manchester City say they are willing to pay record fees to secure the services of the France international.

Monaco insist the teenager will stay for at least another year and have included him in the squad for the PSG match. If Mbappé were to leave for Manchester City, his arrival there would take their summer spending to 400 million euros.

As if to display their own financial potency, PSG are said to be trying to lure Neymar away from Spain for more than 220 million euros. Excitement about a possible deal increased on Friday when a promotional event on Monday in Shanghai featuring the 25-year-old was cancelled.

China's biggest online travel company Ctrip announced on its official microblog Weibo account that the meet-and-greet was off.

"Neymar and his team are busy with transfer issues so he cannot guarantee he will be at the scheduled event on 31 July in Shanghai," it said.