A contract for a player under 30yo or so is usually 3, or more likely 4 or 5 years.

If a club wants a player who has 2 or more years left on his contract at his current club, then that club will demand a price (transfer fee) to sell him. If the player has only one year left, that price is generally lower, as the next year (IE once the contract expires) the player can walk away for free (as a free agent).

That is what will happen with Mbappe, who is arguably the most expensive (transfer fee wise IF he had 2 or more years left on his contract with PSG) player on the planet (Erling Håland of Borussia Dortmund is the only other remotely there in terms of valuation BUT he has a release clause). PSG turned down multiple offers from Real Madrid this summer for Mbappe, with the final one around an insane £190m, all for a player who WALKS ON A FREE in summer 2022. PSG is still trying to get Mbappe to renew, but almost zero chance, so they literally just shit away £190m ($260 million).

I mentioned a release clause. That is a pre agreed on price, written into a contract, that allows a player to be purchased once that price is met and the player agrees to terms (usually an increase in salary, but not always) with the new club that is meeting the price. Håland, if no release clause and if he has 2 or more years left, is easily, IMHO, worth at least £200m. We (Chelsea) wanted him bad and offered £150m, but Dortmund refused, even though next summer, he has a release clause for only £65m come into effect.

We finally have up (I wrote an OP on this) because of all the other demands. Mino Raiola, the worst POS parasite agent on the planet represents Håland. He wanted around £50m in an agent fee, plus Håland's father demanded around £20m or so, plus the salary demands were insane, 1 million euros per week, ie £860K per week or around 1.2 million USD PE for 5 years (so 45m quid per year or so for 5 years, £220m IE 300m USD, just in gross salary) , PLUS they demanded a release clause after 3 or 4 years, with an unfair set price that meant little to no net profit on a sale.

All in all he would have cost around £450m (615m USD) amortised cost over the 5 year span, maybe more

Even with the release clause-mandated lowered transfer fee next summer, he will still cost around £360m or so, which is half a billion USD, AND that bellend Mino looks at part of the transfer fee reduction, that savings, AS HIS to pocket.

Hope all that helped.

Cheers

Cel