Will he, won’t he? When will he? Kylian Mbappe’s transfer saga, a tug-of-war between Real Madrid and PSG, shows no signs of ending after the latest twist in the saga.
The Athletic report that the Frenchman was finally close to choosing Los Blancos as his destination, bringing an end to the long-running narrative of his transfer that resurfaces every month, but the pendulum has swung again.
The report states that Mbappe’s entourage is unconvinced by the finances on offer from Madrid and feel he can make more with PSG or even with another club.
Negotiating tactic or genuine deliberation? It is just impossible to tell now with Mbappe.
Kylian Mbappe transfer latest
The Athletic reports that Real Madrid President Florentino Perez believes he has made the best possible offer to the player and “hopes” he will sign. However, the offer is lower than what it was in the summer of 2022 when Mbappe shocked the world by signing an extension with his current club.
It left a sour taste in the mouths of Madridistas but Mbappe remains Perez’s obsession and another attempt was always a matter of “when” and not “if”.
Mbappe, at his end, was also strong-arming both sides. He signed a short contract at PSG, unusual for a club to agree to with their best player, and then left the option to extend it by a year on the table in the summer of 2023.
It made PSG angry and the player was even excluded from first-team activities but right now, Mbappe might actually be in a unique position where he’s bigger than the club. He was ultimately brought back into the fold and he’s free to negotiate with other clubs as he is in the last six months of his contract.
His position is strengthened by Perez’s obsession. Arguably, Madrid don’t even need Mbappe. They have Vinicius Jr, who plays on the left, a position where Mbappe sees himself in the long term. They have Endrick coming in to play up front and Rodrygo seals his spot on the right. Bellingham has added more goals from midfield too.
Ultimately, the Mbappe transfer saga has become a game of egos. Mbappe’s ego is massaged because he has two of the richest clubs frothing over their mouth trying to get him to sign more as a symbol of dominance than his actual sporting excellence. Madrid’s ego is massaged because they believe their soft power is so big Mbappe will leave PSG’s riches to become the poster boy of “Galacticos”. PSG’s ego is massaged because they’re effectively denying Madrid’s advances by throwing the bank at him, setting a “New World Order” in football hierarchy.
Unfortunately, the narrative about “Mbappe the player” and his generational ability is getting lost in this game but this is the game he wanted to play.
