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After Kylian Mbappe’s increasingly impressive performances in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, the Cosh discuss the kid’s ceiling, and examine comparisons to his peers and past legends…

Of the recent Monaco youth products – Mbappe, Martial, Carrasco etc, where does Mbappe rank?

Rishay: He’s bang on form right now, but its hard to measure him against the others. Carrasco has a goal in a Champions League final. Martial was amazing under LVG, but out of touch at the moment. All of the players mentioned have an immeasurable amount of talent, but football is a form game and things could change overnight, and so at the moment Mbappe is on top of the pack.

Mohaned: Mbappe has the advantage over Carasco for example, that hes an out and out striker and goal scorer. Those type of players will always catch the eye of the majority of fans. He’s also been banging in the goals at the CL level which increases the attention on him. I believe Carrasco to be an incredibly talented player and someone I enjoy a lot. He’s still probably the most likely to “make it” as he’s proven it at the highest level consistently. Mbappe has all the talent required. Now it’s just time for the hard work.

Alex: He’s made a bigger impact for Monaco than either Martial or Carrasco before their moves away, but then you could argue that he’s in a more successful Monaco side and thus creating bigger headlines. Time will tell, but I’d say that Mbappe looks more exciting at 18 than Martial or Carrasco did.

Should Mbappe continue his development at Monaco for a few more years or is he ready to make the step up to an elite club?

Alex: If Monaco win Ligue 1 and/or the Champions League, he might as well move on. That team is – sadly – about to get asset-stripped, so I’m not sure of the benefits of hanging around. Playing in front of 8-10 thousand fans when you’re hitting these kinds of heights can’t be satisfying.

Mohaned: Depends on the situation at Monaco. Monaco are a selling club. They will create these talented youngsters and sell them off for huge profits. So, if Monaco change their ways then yes, he should stay another season. He just has to make sure he doesn’t end up in a situation where he is left behind. The other issue is financial. Mbappe is very hot right now. His agent will want to make a move happen as Monaco will get the most money, the agent himself will get a nice pay-out, and Mbappe will get a large wage. If Mbappe stays and cools off a little next season, this all goes out the window. Strike while the iron is hot. Go get your four year contract at Madrid and life is good.  

Rishay: Depends on if he is happy at the club. Monaco could win the double, and have a dangerous team that could now usurp Dortmund as the main challenger to the European old guard elite. It’s poetically satisfying that they just trounced Dortmund in that sense, who held that mantle for the last several years. People are now taking notice of Monaco. Changing clubs so soon can be damaging from a mental standpoint and that’s the only caveat I have. It requires starting over, so if he is banging in the goals where he is, he should stay until the winds change. Let’s also consider Monaco’s weather, the culture, who people are for a second….its not really that bad is it?

He’s been compared to Thierry Henry but can he be as good as the French legend?

Mohaned: Everyone wants to be the next something. Lord knows Theo Walcott was supposed to be the next Henry. So was Martial. There is no next Henry. You’re telling me Mbappe will be by the end of his career the best striker to ever grace the Premier League? Because that’s Henry. That said, the similarities are there. The curling finish, the searing pace, the galloping down the left. I would love to get a second coming of Thierry Henry. Lets hope its Mbappe’s destiny.

Rishay: Once again, football fans have the habit of relating every young upstart to an old legend that had the same “wow” factor. Henry was an absolute beast, but he was a beast in a different era under different circumstances. Mbappe is also a beast, but he’s also relatively new. He is solely in charge of his career, and if he can, why not be even better than Henry? Make a name for yourself, KM. Just make sure its not at Arsenal.

Alex: As Rishay pointed out, different eras make for difficult comparisons. Henry was up against better individual defenders. Mbappe will be up against much more organized teams, and a lot more parked buses. Does he have the talent to be Henry good? Looks like it. He’s well ahead of where Henry was aged 18. A lot will depend on his next move.

What are your impressions of Kylian Mbappe? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter.

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