Compared to Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe is now far more likely to sign with FC Barcelona.
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According to Mundo Deportivo, super team Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain is now closer to joining FC Barcelona than archrivals Real Madrid. Real Madrid withdrew from the competition to sign Mbappe as a thank you to the Catalans for sticking with them in the European Super League project.
Before the Frenchman left Madrid as a youngster to join PSG from Monaco in 2017, Madrid courted him.
It looked like the World Cup winner would move from the French city to its Spanish counterpart in the middle of 2022, but Mbappe changed his mind and extended his contract with his present Qatari employers.
With the new contract officially signed, Mbappe topped Forbes’ list of the World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Players. At the Parc des Princes, PSG showcased their star player wearing a customised ‘Mbappe 2025’ shirt.
Though Mbappe has the option to extend for an additional year should he so choose, his terms officially expire in June 2024, since this was intended to be a reference to how long he is committed.
Los Blancos withdrew from the competition to acquire Mbappe last month, according to a report by radio station Cadena SER. However, Mundo Deportivo claims that Barca is very much in the race and is emerging as a dark horse.
The European Court of Justice’s (ECJ) apparent boost to his club has given President Joan Laporta optimism.
The supporters of the proposed breakaway European Super League (ESL) hailed the ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that UEFAEFA -0.3% had an unfair monopoly on continental football.
Barca and Real Madrid, the only two remaining teams from the original 12, are expected to receive $1.11 billion (€1 billion) apiece when the ESL eventually takes off. This will enable the Catalans to initiate what MD claims has been dubbed “Operation Donatello,” a reference to Mbappe’s resemblance to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character.
Barcelona intends to celebrate its 125th anniversary in November of next year by opening the restored Spotify Camp Nou stadium, and it is said that Mbappe is the marquee signing the team needs to commemorate this milestone.
A free kick at Mbappe is Madrid’s reward to Barca for staying in the Super League, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Should they persist in this attempt with “unconditional support,” Madrid is said to pull out of the competition to acquire Mbappe and advise the 25-year-old’s group to sign with Barcelona.
When MD reveals that Florentino Perez, the president of Real Madrid, has only asked that Mbappe’s only request for not being prevented from joining Barcelona is that the player be unable to use his strongest right foot against Madrid in an El Clasico, the already unbelievable news becomes even more unbelievable.
This is due to the fact that the report was released on Holy Innocents’ Day, Spain’s version of April Fool’s Day, which falls on December 28. This means that in addition to the previously mentioned absurdities, there are also absurdities about PSG teammate Ousmane Dembele lending Mbappe his Barcelona house and collection of video games, as well as head coach Luis Enrique describing how amicable the local press is from his time in the Camp Nou dugout.
Back in the real world, it continues to seem as though Mbappe will permanently join 14-time Champions League winners Real Madrid if he is to make any progress before the 2024–2025 season.
Cash-strapped Barcelona would not be able to pay Mbappe’s wage, which was estimated to be $90 million annually by the most recent edition of the World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Players, even if he were available for free.