Kylian Mbappe met with Robert Lewandowski in May to discuss potential partnership

According to Le Parisien, PSG forward Kylian Mbappe and new Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski met "eye to eye" last May.

The main topic of the meeting was centered around the discussion of the potential signing of the Poland international with PSG ahead of his contract running out last June.

Mbappe and Lewandowski will meet again next Saturday at 4 pm in the Round of 16 of the World Cup as France and Poland face each other for a place in the quarter-finals.

The 2018 world champion reportedly attempted to convince the board of PSG to sign Lewandowski last summer to "form an explosive duo," says the French newspaper. It adds that the operation failed because of Antero Henrique's role in the negotiations, going as far as to claim that he "ruined the deal."

The meeting, according to the media outlet, "probably happened during the evening of May 26" and was held in parallel to the Cannes Film Festival.

Kylian Mbappe wanted PSG to sign Robert Lewandowski, met the Poland international to pitch him the idea

Ultimately, Robert Lewandowski decided to sign with FC Barcelona, seemingly his "first option" according to LP. That move kept Mbappe from enjoying playing with his preferred type of partner up front, which would fit the mold of a "pivot" as Mbappe made public after an international game with France earlier this year.

Had Lewandowski joined PSG, it is assumed that he would have played in a two-man frontline along with Mbappe, with Brazil international Neymar on the left wing and Argentine genius Lionel Messi on the right wing.

That 4-4-2 formation, though, is one that PSG has never used so far this season under the guidance of coach Christophe Galtier. Galtier, who also arrived in Paris this summer, has opted for either a 5-2-3 or lately a 4-3-3 formation when deploying his players on the football pitch.

According to Le Parisien, the decision coming from Lewandowski to ditch PSG in favor of joining Barcelona "considerably offended Kylian Mbappe."