Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has laid bare in an interview with RMC Sport that he wanted to leave the club this past summer, but sporting director Leonardo isn’t taking the airing of such business lightly. Speaking in L’Equipe as carried by Diario AS, the Brazilian harshly criticised the attitude Real Madrid, Mbappe’s suitors, have taken throughout the saga, specifically that of Karim Benzema, Florentino Perez and Carlo Ancelotti.
“These comments from Florentino Perez are only a continuation of a lack of respect for PSG and Kylian,” he said. “In the same week, a Real Madrid player (Benzema), the coach (Carletto) and now the president of Real Madrid have talked about Kylian as if he was already one of them. Florentino Perez has already spoken about Kylian to the Real Madrid fans during the week. I repeat; it’s a lack of respect that can’t be tolerated.
“The Florentino thing has been going on for two years,” he continued. “The transfer market has ended, and the season is underway. There are games and Real Madrid cannot continue to behave like this. Make it stop! Kylian is a PSG player and the club understands perfectly that this relationship will last.”
Madrid have made it perfectly clear that Mbappe is their number-one target, and moved formally for him at the end of this summer’s transfer market. In stark comparison with their great rivals Barcelona, Madrid have been organised and intelligent in the management of their finances over the past few years. They’ve not invested heavily in a player since they prised Eden Hazard from Chelsea in the summer of 2019; everything has been geared toward creating the financial space to sign Mbappe.
One of the best players in the European game, Mbappe has been heralded by many as the man most likely to usurp Lionel Messi as the world’s greatest footballer. The 22-year-old has contributed 136 goals and 66 assists in the 136 games he’s played for PSG since he joined them from Monaco in the summer of 2017.
