Chelsea have held their fair share of transfer-related misfortune, Kevin De Bruyne, Mo Salah and Romelu Lukaku are three salient names that spring to mind when considering the contingent that could have been at Stamford Bridge.

Although Lukaku was re-signed years later, in 2021, for a club-record fee of £97.5m, one of the most rueful deals in the minds of the Blues hierarchy will remain named as Kylian Mbappe for years to come. 

The Athletic recently lifted the lid on the story, stating that in 2011 the paperwork was signed for a 12-year-old French boy to attend a four-day trial with the west London giants with a view toward a scholarship deal, only for that French boy’s mother to demand a contract offered on the spot, which Chelsea refused.

That boy went on to become Paris Saint-Germain’s Mbappe, World Cup winner and global football revelation, and Chelsea will be left shaking their heads at allowing such a potential star to slip through their fingers, although to have acquiesced to Mbappe’s mother’s demands of an instant contract would be something rejected by youth academies across the globe, on a regular basis. 

Regardless, Mbappe is now a one-time World Cup winner, currently awaiting the semi-finals in Qatar, and a forward of devastating ability, unparalleled in many regards by most strikers on the globe.

As per FBref, the 23-year-old “alien” – as dubbed by Polish opposition Piotr Zielinski – ranks within the top 10% for every offensive and pass-centred metric the site has to offer, perching in the top percentile for non-penalty goals, touches in the opposing penalty area and progressive passes received.

He has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the most frightening and quickest footballers in the world.

The staggering £827k-per-week star has been incredible in Qatar, with Sofascore reporting that the 64-cap Frenchman has recorded an average rating of 7.64 thus far, with two matches still to play.

His five goals and two assists have been vital to the nation, and his presence has consolidated the claim that he might be the best player in the world at present. 

And with 4.4 shots per game, and 1.8 key passes, it’s clear to see he is striving to break away from any competitors on the planet and cementing himself as the cream of the crop. 

At club level, Mbappe has been equally as impressive, with the £172m-rated talent scoring 19 goals and assisting a further five across 20 appearances this term.

In fact, his 190 goals and 93 assists in just 237 outings for PSG has been nothing short of remarkable, and Chelsea will indeed rue the day that he evaded their interest; while the Blues haven’t exactly been short of success, bringing the enigmatic ace through their ranks could have had immense benefits, both on and off the football pitch.

Indeed, it was a nightmare not to seal that eventuality with his global prowess only going from strength to strength. He is a true elite footballer.