“He did not want to move to Real Madrid because of the presence of the BBC” – Ex-Barcelona director makes bold Kylian Mbappe claim
Former Barcelona director Javier Bordas recently made a stunning claim on why Kylian Mbappe previously didn't want to join Real Madrid. Nordas oversaw some crucial transfers for the Catalan club.
Players like Luis Suarez, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Ivan Rakitic, and more were signed by Bordas. He claimed that he came in contact with Mino Raiola about signing Mbappe for the Blaugrana.
Speaking on the matter, Bordas said (via Barca Universal):
“I spoke with Raiola at the time, and he was ready to sell him for €20 million. But he wanted a commission of €20 million as well, and I was just a simple manager who proposed things, but there was a technical team that had to fit him in.”
Bordas further added that Mbappe didn't want to move to Los Blancos because of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, and Cristiano Ronaldo's presence.
While the player preferred Barca, the Blaugrana put their trust in Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho. Hence, a move never materialized. Bordas said:
“It would have cost €100 million. We wanted a replacement for Neymar and Mbappe offered himself. He did not want to move to Real Madrid because of the presence of the BBC (Benzema, Bale, Cristiano) trio, but Barcelona preferred Dembele, and then Coutinho.”
Kylian Mbappe ended up joining Paris Saint-Germain. He has been prolific for the French club, scoring 211 goals and providing 98 assists in 259 matches. He is the Parisian club's all-time top scorer as well.
Kylian Mbappe remains linked with Real Madrid
While Kylian Mbappe didn't want to join Real Madrid as a teenager, the attacker has been linked with a move to the Spanish capital in recent seasons. He looked poised to join Los Blancos last summer.
However, rather surprisingly, he signed a contract extension with PSG. His current deal will run out in the summer of 2023-24. Mbappe, though, is reportedly not keen to activate the optional extra year.
Recent reports have linked the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner with a move to Los Blancos again. If he doesn't extend his deal in 2024, Mbappe could end up joining Los Blancos as a free agent.