Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-02-16 14:30:33
Paris Saint-Germain’s striker Kylian Mbappe is drawing closer to a potential move to Real Madrid, stirring excitement in the Spanish capital. According to a source close to the Ligue 1 champions, the 25-year-old France captain has informed PSG officials that he intends to depart at the end of his contract in the summer.
Reports in the Spanish media suggest that Madrid is in the lead to sign Mbappe, despite having been turned down by him in the past. However, when asked to comment by AFP, Madrid declined. The offer being made to Mbappe is reportedly lower than what was proposed in 2022 when he chose to extend his contract with PSG. Cadena SER has reported that Mbappe is seeking a salary of 50 million euros ($54 million) gross per season along with a significant signing-on bonus of 120 million euros.
As the financial details are left for Madrid’s accountants to handle, excitement is building among fans and local media. The prospect of Mbappe’s arrival is beginning to look more and more promising. Marca, a national newspaper based in Madrid, wrote, “The countdown has started…Seven years later, everything points to Mbappe’s arrival being a reality from July 1.”
In 2017, Mbappe had the option to join Madrid from Monaco but ultimately decided to sign with PSG, possibly due to the challenge of competing with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, and Karim Benzema in the attack. However, he now has the potential to lead the line alongside Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. This prospect has been well-received by Real Madrid supporters. The president of Real Madrid’s fan club federation, Luis Caceres, remarked, “He’s the best player in the world, that’s undeniable…We’ve seen him play and we know what he can do, he’s a great player.”
While Mbappe has yet to win the Champions League, he may cross paths with Madrid in this year’s competition, according to Spanish newspaper AS. However, they claim that Madrid will “keep silent” about Mbappe while the two sides are still competing in Europe. Last year, a Real Madrid fan encountered club president Florentino Perez and managed to elicit a response from him regarding Mbappe’s future. Perez stated, “Yes, but not this year.”
Some Madrid supporters have expressed mixed feelings regarding Mbappe’s potential arrival. While many are enthusiastic about the prospect, others still recall Mbappe’s past rebuff and perceived slights. They are cautiously optimistic about the transfer, with some stating that they won’t believe it until they see a signed contract.
In conclusion, the potential move of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid is generating significant interest and excitement among fans and media in both Paris and Madrid. Although nothing is official yet, Madrid appears to be the frontrunner in securing the services of the talented French striker, and many are eagerly anticipating his possible arrival.
