In the end, said Kylian Mbappe, he just wanted to stay at home and take Paris St Germain to new heights.
The French striker, who is reportedly being paid $A7 million-a-month, besides a $A180 million signing-on fee, insisted staying at PSG, rather than join Real Madrid, was not about the money.
Maybe it wasn’t since Real themselves were offering a signing-on fee of $A120 million and wages of $A3 million a month after tax.
“We have spoken for months about the sporting project and for just a few minutes we spoke about money,” Mbappe said.
“Everybody knows I wanted to leave last year. I was convinced that was the best decision at the time. The context is different now, in sporting terms and personal terms
“I am from France, a country where I want to live, grow old, settle at the end of my career. Leaving wasn’t right. There is a sentimental aspect to this, this is my country.”
(Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Mbappe, who has won the World Cup with France but not yet the Champions League with PSG, added: “The sporting project has changed, the club wants to change things and I believe that my story here is not over, that there are still chapters that I want to write.”
The 23-year-old Parisian spoke respectfully of Real Madrid and their president Florentino Perez, saying: “I hope they’ll understand the fact I’ve chosen to stay in my country. The reality is I’m French. As a Frenchman, I want to stay here and take France towards the top, take this club and league forwards.”
PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi was less polite.
La Liga reacted furiously to a scandalous that deal “attacks the economic stability” of European football and threatened to “file a complaint before UEFA, the French administrative and fiscal authorities and European Union authorities”.
La Liga president Javier Tebas tweeted the deal was “an insult to football” adding “Al-Khelaifi is as dangerous as the Super League”.
“Maybe it’s a good thing if Ligue 1 is doing better than La Liga,” Al-Khelaifi responded as he asked for respect.
The Qatari added: “I think this is a positive thing for us and Ligue 1. La Liga isn’t the same as three or four years ago. I think it’s fantastic for France, we’re keeping the best player in the world in France.”
In a poignant note Mbappe said, when asked about the pressure of the decision: “I didn’t have any issues with pressure because I’ve been living with that since I was 14.”
© AAP
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Goalkeeper Jamie Young: 2-1 win for Melbourne City against Western Sydney Wanderers. Full game played, seven saves, 29/47 passing. Young had a very strong…
Central Coast Mariners' star striker Angel Torres has been stood down from playing in the A-League Men after he was charged with sexual assault. …
There are few more positive, hopeful and less cynical of the game of football in Australia than me. At times, it can be a…
The FA Cup. Football’s oldest competition. Once viewed as the pinnacle of football in England. The magic of the cup. Where did it all…
When you think of German football, what comes to your mind? To some it might simply be Bayern Munich, but to many others including…
Coventry fought back from 3-nil down and looked to have stolen a stunning win in extra time, only for the goal to be ruled…
