French president confirms “advising” Kylian Mbappe before Real Madrid rejection

Before Kylian Mbappe signed a new deal with Paris Saint-Germain, French President Emmanuel Macron claimed he spoke with the striker to “advise” him on his future.

Mbappe has chosen to extend his contract with the Ligue 1 winners for another three years, keeping him in Paris until 2025. It implies that, according to popular belief, he will not join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer, despite reports that he had promised the Spanish giants that he would do so.

It comes less than a year after the French club turned down a world-record transfer offer for the striker, whose contract at the Parc des Princes ends on June 30. Last month, the striker stated that a decision on his future would be made “in a matter of days,” putting an end to a long-running controversy.

Earlier this season, Mbappe was rumoured to have a verbal deal in place to join Real Madrid, and the striker had hinted at a move to the Spanish capital, while a recent interview suggested he was open to leaving France. That move, however, did not materialize, and he has already signed a lucrative contract in Paris.

According to multiple sources, French President Emmanuel Macron attempted to encourage Mbappe, with whom he has a friendship, to stay in Paris and reject the approach from Madrid. According to a report in El Mundo published earlier this year, both Macron and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy had spoken to Mbappe about his future plans, urging him to stay at the Parc des Princes.

According to the report, the steps were motivated by political considerations due to PSG’s Qatari ownership’s power and influence in France. Over a decade ago, Sarkozy played a significant role in ensuring that the Middle Eastern nation won the race to host the 2022 World Cup, at the same time that Qatari-linked ownership completed its acquisition of the stadium.

Macron has since revealed that he spoke to the striker “in an informal and cordial manner” before making a decision on his future: “It’s true that he spoke with Kylian Mbappe before making a final choice on his future.”

“I confined myself to advising him, in a completely informal manner, to stay in France during that conversation.” As president, I believe it is my job to defend the country when asked in a casual and pleasant manner.”

Last season, Mbappe had his best season to date with Les Parisiens, scoring 39 goals in 46 games. The Frenchman has already scored 171 goals in five seasons with the club, and he appears to be set to stay in Paris for the foreseeable future.