Former Real Madrid player explains why Los Blancos president Florentino Perez might refuse to sign PSG star Kylian Mbappe
Former Real Madrid player Jese Rodriguez believes Los Blancos president Florentino Perez could refuse to sign Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Kylian Mbappe after what happened last summer.
The France international seemed destined to join the Santiago Bernabeu outfit as a free agent before the start of the 2022-23 campaign. However, he decided to pen fresh terms with PSG and pulled the plug on a move to Real Madrid in the 11th hour.
Mbappe's current contract runs until the summer of 2024 with an option to extend it by another year. However, there have been claims that he is unhappy at the Parc des Princes, with Madrid cited as a potential suitor.
Rodriguez believes that Perez could be carrying a grudge against the former AS Monaco forward, which could stop a transfer from happening. The Sampdoria winger, who played for Real Madrid between 2010 and 2016, told Cadena SER (h/t GOAL):
Kylian Mbappé's new boots: 2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣ https://t.co/DN7aaHYbSF
"I don’t know. Knowing Florentino Perez, maybe Real Madrid will refuse to sign him. He surely didn’t like what happened. I don’t know. If I were to look at Mbappe as a president or as a club owner, it would depend on the players I had and also the market. If I just look at the talent, I would try to sign him, no question."
For many, Mbappe is one of the best players in world football. The 24-year-old won the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and has scored 30 goals in as many games across competitions this term.
Los Blancos could see him as the ideal successor to Karim Benzema, whose current deal expires this summer. Even if he was to extend his deal at the Bernabeu, the 35-year-old cannot be expected to play at the top level for very long.
Real Madrid target Kylian Mbappe to stay at PSG for at least one more season - Reports
A report from PSGTalk (h/t The Real Champs) claims that Kylian Mbappe will stay at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for at least one more season.
BREAKING: Kylian Mbappé has become PSG's all-time top scorer.
201 goals in 247 games 🤯 https://t.co/wHrLvhDW7I
Les Parisiens will reportedly build a team around the Frenchman, rather than using him to raise funds to rebuild the team. PSG could lose Lionel Messi for free this summer if the Argentine doesn't pen fresh terms.
Neymar's future hangs in the balance as well, with reports claiming the Paris-based giants are open to selling him. Amidst this, the club could resist losing Mbappe, which would come as an obvious blow to Real Madrid's chances of signing him.
He is the club's all-time leading goal-scorer with 201 goals in 247 games across competitions.