Mbappe reveals why he turned down Real amid new links
Kylian Mbappe has explained why he turned down a transfer to Real Madrid in 2014, but remains focused on the Euros with France amidst speculation of a new move to the Bernabeu.
The Frenchman spent his early days in the academy at Monaco, but was offered a switch to the Spanish giants aged just 15.
Mbappe even took a trip to Madrid in which he met with Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo, but ultimately decided against the move due to the influence of his parents.
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The PSG star told the French magazine L’Obs about his reasons behind turning Los Blancos down in a recent interview.
He said: “My parents wanted me to start my career in France, to be educated in France.
“To play football, but also to continue my education. To go to Spain, even if it was with Zidane, it was another country, another culture…”
Mbappe is now considered as one of the best players in the world at the age of just 22.
Since making his £130m move to PSG from Monaco in 2018 he has scored 132 goals and registered 61 assists for the Parisians.
Madrid are once again linked to a transfer for the World Cup winning forward this summer with his current contract due to expire in June 2022.
The Spanish club would have to pay an exceptional fee to prise Mbappe out of PSG’s grip, but the youngster doesn’t look close to singing a new contract in Paris yet after reportedly ‘stalling’ on talks with the club.
France are one of the favourites to win the Euros this summer and Mbappe is going to be an instrumental part of their attempts to lift the trophy.
He is said to be focused on the competition now before discussing anything about his future within club football.
Mbappe’s PSG teammate Pablo Sarabia told Goal that he keeps very quiet about his future and is focused on the international stage.
He said: “He tells us nothing. Now he is focused on the Euros, like all of us who have a tournament this summer. What happens only he and the club knows.”
