Mbappe thanks Real Madrid for trying to sign him
Karan Tejwani
- Updated: 23 May 2022 08:39 BST
- 3 min read
Kylian Mbappe sprung a surprise over the weekend by ending a season-long speculation of a proposed move to Real Madrid by staying at Paris Saint-Germain.
The French forward put pen to paper on a three-year deal, keeping him at the club until 2025, ending any talk of a move to the Spanish champions, which he was widely expected to make this summer.
Until last week, it seemed as though Mbappe was destined for the Santiago Bernabeu – a move he was seemingly desperate to make – but it’s now been made clear that he will continue his football in Ligue 1.
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The 23-year-old agreed packages with both Real Madrid and PSG in the past few months and he settled on the offer from the French champions.
Mbappe grateful for Real Madrid interest
Despite the rejection, he has thanked the record Spanish champions for their long-standing interest in a statement he released on his social media feeds.
"I'm convinced that I can continue to grow here, at a club which is giving itself every means to reach the top," Mbappe said in his statement.
The Ligue 1 top scorer continued: "I would also like to sincerely thank Real Madrid and their president Florentino Perez. I am aware of the chance and privilege I had at being coveted by such an institution."
Additionally, Mbappe, a Real Madrid fan since he was a child, said he would back them in their Champions League final next weekend: "I can imagine their disappointment. I will be their biggest fan in the Champions League final in Paris. My home."
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) May 22, 2022
Real Madrid and La Liga were seemingly disappointed a deal didn’t work out – the league said they would report PSG to UEFA for breaking Financial Fair Play regulations.
Additionally, the league’s President Javier Tebas called the deal an insult – saying that clubs backed by a state were as dangerous to European football as the Super League.
However, Mbappe was still thankful to PSG and its President, Nasser Al-Khelaifi: "I also have a thought for all of the PSG supporters, in France and around the world, for their countless shows of affection, especially in these last few months."
