Madrid´s new 9: Kylian Mbappe was all smiles at the unveiling of the French player. Credit: Real Madrid official instagram page (@realmadrid)
A drama between two European giants, Real Madrid and PSG, a player many believe could be ranked among Ronaldo and Messi, and a billion-dollar contract, The Mbappe transfer war comes to a close.
The dramatic transfer saga between formerly PSG´s Kylian Mbappe and his pursuers Real Madrid has finally come to a close, with the French superstar taking his first steps onto the pitch of the Santiago Bernabeu as a Real Madrid player on July 16.
The five-year deal will see Mbappe earn €15 million a year in salary, making him the highest-earning player on the squad, on top of a €150 million signing bonus and a portion of the club´s earnings via his image rights. In total, he will be earning gross €31 million a year, nine million more than second-highest earner, Austrian defender David Alaba, and €11 million more than Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior.
Drawn out negotiations
The transfer rumours of Mbappe to Madrid began as early as July 2017, just 18 at the time, PSG swooped in and, at the end of the summer transfer window, swooned the teenage phenom with a record-breaking €180 million contract, the highest paying contract ever for a teenager.
Interest cooled for a period, and during that time, Mbappe proved he was worth that figure, going on to break Edinson Cavani´s PSG scoring record of 200 goals. Embittered by the 2017 snub, yet seeing his immense talent, Real Madrid laid in wait.
In the summer of 2021, despite PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi´s steadfast statements that Mbappe will remain a PSG player, with even French President Emmanuel Macron asking him to stay a while longer, Real Madrid tabled another offer. The €160 million proposed deal was refused categorically by PSG, however, Mbappe was very tight-lipped about his intentions with either club.
The 2021 summer transfer window passed with Mbappe remaining in Madrid, and in May 2022, he and PSG penned a two-year extension estimated to be worth €630 million. If Madrid owner and Real Madrid had not been left with a bad taste in their mouths in 2017, Los Blancos were insulted by the capricious nature of the French star´s negotiation tactics.
The drama entered a cool period for those two years, but with no shortage of hostility between the two clubs, Real Madrid supporters frequently whistled at Mbappe when the two teams would face one another.
2023 saw the drama catch fire once again with Mbappe´s announcement that he would not trigger the optional one-year extension for the 2024–25 season. This put the pressure back on PSG to woo him to stay, allegedly offering the Frenchman a €1.1 billion deal for what would be essentially a lifetime contract. Mbappe declined the stunning offer, leading many to speculate that his departure for the Spanish capital was finally at hand.
Madrid finally break through
On June 3rd, two weeks after the end of the La Liga season and two weeks before the start of the Euro Cup, which saw Mbappe and the French team fall to Spain in the semifinals, Real Madrid announced the marquee deal. On July 16th, he made his introduction for the club.
The Newest Merengue: Kylian Mbappe kisses the Real Madrid badge at his club unveiling. Credit: Real Madrid official instagram page (@realmadrid)
I spent endless nights dreaming about one day playing for Real Madrid, and today I am one happy guy, said Mbappe before Real Madrid fans in Madrid´s Santiago Bernabeu stadium. My family is so happy here; I can see my mum crying [in the stands].”
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Written by
Tristan Kirkland
Hey everyone! I was born in Utah, United States, where I lived most of my life, before moving to Madrid when I was 17. I lived there for 7 years, graduating from Saint Louis University’s Madrid Campus in Journalism before Joining Euro Weekly News! Leave me a comment to tell me what you thought of the story!
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