Kylian Mbappe's proposed move from Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain is on hold as the capital club try to find a way to sign the forward and still stay within financial fair play (FFP) regulations, according to L'Equipe.
The French sports daily reports that Mbappe, 18, has already passed a medical with PSG and, as sources told ESPN FC earlier this week, the France international is expected to join the capital club on loan for the current season ahead of an automatic purchase option worth €180 million being taken up next summer.
Following their €222m purchase of Neymar, PSG wanted to structure their deal for Mbappe so the financial impact of his arrival would not be taken into account this season as they hope to remain in compliance with FFP regulations, which allows a club only a €30m deficit.
However, if an automatic purchase option is included for Mbappe, the €180m fee would be counted as expenditure for the 2017-18 campaign.
That would potentially put PSG, who were punished after falling foul of FFP rules in 2014, in peril of infringing the limits again and exposing themselves to further and heavier sanctions from UEFA, the most significant of which would be exclusion from the Champions League.
Monaco, however, have reportedly insisted that an automatic purchase option be written into the deal as they are unwilling to loan out Mbappe without one and potentially see him return to the Stade Louis II in 12 months with just a year left on his contract.
According to reports from Le Parisien and Canal+, though, the reason for the delay in PSG completing Mbappe's signature is simply that France coach Didier Deschamps does not want him distracted for the World Cup qualifier against Netherlands on Thursday evening and would prefer for the move to be made official after the match.
Sources close to the club also told ESPN FC that the Mbappe deal is ready to be made official but that PSG have been asked to wait to confirm the news.
One of those sources even told ESPN FC that there is a possibility that Mbappe will be registered as a PSG player before the transfer deadline but the move will not be announced by the club until Friday.
ESPN FC's PSG correspondent, Jonathan Johnson, contributed to this report.