"I went as far as advising him" - French president Emmanuel Macron explains role he played in Kylian Mbappe's PSG stay
New details are emerging every day regarding Kylian Mbappe's contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). As per Marca (via Football-Espana), French President Emmanuel Macron has also played a role in the same.
Macron, a staunch supporter of PSG's arch-rivals Olympique Marseille, said he had an informal discussion with Mbappe. He said that the 23-year-old had simply reached out to him for advice and he had a brief conversation and denied interfering in the contraction negotiations.
French president Emmanuel Macron called Kylian Mbappe several times to convince him to stay at PSG and grow his legacy as an icon in Paris 🇫🇷 https://t.co/L4kbQTg5v0
Macron confirmed that he advised his compatriot to remain in France, as he believed that Mbappe's presence would be good for the country. Hadrien Grenier reported that Mbappe had been in touch with the President, but this is the first time that Macron has confirmed talking to the player.
Speaking at a press conference, he said (as per the aforementioned source):
“I have never intervened in any transfer. Simply, like any other citizen, when it comes to sporting matters I always want to see good play and support a team, in particular in my case, Olympique Marseilles.”
He continued:
“Yes, it’s true that I had a conversation with Mbappe before he took a firm decision on his future. In which I went as far as advising him, in a completely informal manner, that he should stay in France.”
Kylian Mbappe did not sign a contract extension with PSG until May and was heavily linked with Real Madrid, who would've been able to sign him for free.
PSG swooped in with a three-year deal reportedly worth almost £1 million a week (via Sky Sports), leaving Real Madrid red-faced.
PSG flexed their muscles in retaining the services of Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe's decision to extend his stay in Paris has not been devoid of controversy. La Liga president Javier Tebas questioned how Les Parisiens could afford to offer such an expensive deal to the player and has already sent a complaint to UEFA citing FFP (Financial Fair Play) irregularities. Interestingly, even Juventus and Manchester City were named in the complaint, as per AS.
OFFICIAL. Kylian Mbappé stays at Paris Saint-Germain, contract signed until June 2025. #Mbappé
#PSG🚨 OFFICIAL. Kylian Mbappé stays at Paris Saint-Germain, contract signed until June 2025. #Mbappé
Official club video here ⤵️🎥 #PSG https://t.co/XGlM8GMOK0
It was recently reported that Mbappe had asked the PSG management to remove 14 figures from the club, whom he had blacklisted. However, the player later denied it via his official social media account.
Kylian Mbappe has the backing of club owner Nasser Al-Khelaif. His signing of this new deal has not only made him the best-paid player in world football but also confirmed that the Ligue 1 club see him as a valuable asset.
While Macron has denied influencing Mbappe's decision to remain in Paris, you know it's serious business when the country's president becomes involved in contract negotiations.