- France captain Kylian Mbappe has long been linked with a move to Real Madrid
- He confirmed that he would be leaving PSG before the end of the campaign
- Are Pep’s City the greatest the Premier League has seen? Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Kylian Mbappe has officially been unveiled as a Real Madrid player, bringing an end to one of the longest transfer sagas in modern football.
The French captain has long been courted by the now 15-time Champions League winners, though each turn has seen Mbappe ultimately stay at Paris Saint-Germain, signing several bumper contracts.
Last summer, however, he made it clear he would not be triggering a one-year extension, before announcing that he would be leaving at the end of the season on a free.
He has agreed to take a major pay cut after signing a five-year contract, with the 25-year-old due to receive 15m euros net (£12.8m) a season at Madrid, down from the 25m euros net (£21.4m) he earned in Paris.
Mbappe posted on Instagram on Monday evening just minutes after the move was confirmed, writing: ‘A dream come true.
‘So happy and proud to join the club of my dream. Nobody can understand how excited I am right now. Can’t wait to see you, Madridistas, and thanks for your unbelievable support.
‘¡Hala Madrid!’
Naturally, reports of a deal already having been signed with Real emerged on Sunday after claims an agreement had been reached months ago, with Monday’s announcement the final confirmation of a move that will surprise few football fans.
The official announcement comes in the wake of Los Blancos‘ latest European crown, and sees him join the forward line of a side dripping with superstar quality.
Mbappe will line up next season alongside the likes of Ballon d’Or contenders Vinicius Jnr and Jude Bellingham, as well as Brazil star Rodrygo Goes and fellow new boy Endrick, widely regarded as perhaps the greatest wonderkid on the planet.
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While Real Madrid’s already embarrassing array of talent now reaches a whole new plane, it does hand Carlo Ancelotti something of a headache.
His side have romped to a 15th Champions League title – as well as the Supercopa and LaLiga crowns to boot – powered by goals from Vinicius Jnr and Rodrygo, with Bellingham playing in behind.
Vinicius Jnr has been the star in terms of his goal contributions with 24 strikes and 11 assists, but he currently occupies that left wing spot that Mbappe features in.
Therefore, one of those would have to move into the middle or over to the right in a less natural position in order to both play, with No 9 Endrick also needing minutes to progress his development.
Mbappe is also regarded as a player with a sizeable ego that comes with the territory of being arguably the best player in the world, giving Ancelotti a tough decision to make on how to keep everyone happy.
Though he arrives on a free deal, reports in February claimed that the player would be handed a whopping £85.5million as a signing on fee – £200,000 more than the world record price Los Blancos paid for Gareth Bale in 2013.
Mbappe’s arrival comes at a curious point in the season, with France building up to the European Championship in Germany this summer; big transfer deals ordinarily come after major tournaments, rather than beforehand.
However, the player promised that his future would become clear ahead of the competition months ago, telling Telefoot: ‘People will know my future before the Euros. I’m very calm about it.
‘My future is no longer a huge topic at the club, no one talks to me about it anymore.
‘I’ll be at the Euros with calm head, ready to do great things.’
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He also put out an official statement with an emotional farewell video for PSG fans ahead of their final games of the season.
‘I wanted to speak to you. I’ve always said that I would speak with you when the time comes, and so I wanted to announce to you all that it’s my last year at Paris Saint-Germain,’ he said.
‘I will not extend and the adventure will come to an end in a few weeks.
‘I will play my last game at the Parc des Princes on Sunday. It’s a lot of emotion; many years where I had the chance and the great honour to be a member of the biggest French club – one of the best in the world – which allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure.
‘To grow as a player of course, by being alongside some of the best in history – some of the greatest champions; to meet a lot of people, to grow as a man as well, with all the glory and the mistakes I’ve made.
‘It’s hard, and I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that, to leave my country, France, Ligue 1, a championship I have always known, but I think I needed this – a new challenge after seven years.’
Fans were, however, heard booing his name as it was read out ahead of their final home game of the season, which ended with defeat by Toulouse, though the Frenchman did get on the scoresheet.
French outlet L’Equipe reported on Friday that Mbappe was set to be unveiled as a new Real Madrid player on Monday, less than 48 hours after their Champions League final triumph over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
Meanwhile, during a training session with France on Thursday, Mbappe met with fans, and even signed one lucky person’s Real Madrid shirt – a sure-fire sign that this deal will be finalised shortly.
It was also reported in May that the relationship between PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and the departing Mbappe remains strong, despite claims that a rift had emerged over the terms of his departure as a free agent.
Both the club and the player have previously stated there is an agreement in place that respects PSG’s huge investment in Mbappe’s development as a player since his £166m move from Monaco in 2017.
Mbappe won the Coupe de France in his final match for PSG, ending his last season at the club with 44 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions.
The French star then threw a farewell party for 250 guests in Paris, as his former PSG team-mates bid goodbye to him after seven years on their books.
Mbappe leaves as PSG’s all-time record goalscorer, having scored 256 goals in 308 appearances over seven years in Paris.