October 05, (THEWILL) – Comments attributed to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, which hinted at his optimism in a sensational move for Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe in January were taken too literally which forced the Real boss to issue a clarification.
In an interview with newly-launched Spanish newspaper “El Debate”, Perez had made some fresh comments on the transfer saga involving the young French striker for former Ligue 1 champions PSG, saying that he “was optimistic about the possibility that the player could finally sign with the club”.
Perez appeared to be very confident in his assessment of Real’s ability to entice Mbappe to Madrid when he said: “We hope that on January 1 everything can be solved.”
The Real president’s recent remarks came after Mbappe revealed that he asked to leave the Paris club in the summer. As THEWILL reported, Mbappe told RMC that he asked to go so that PSG could earn a fee. In the summer of 2022, his contract will end, and he will become a free agent.
“I asked to leave,” Mbappe has said. “Because from the moment where I did not want to extend, I wanted for the club to receive a transfer fee so that they could bring in a quality replacement.
“This club has given me a lot; I have always been happy – the four years I have had here – and I still am. I said it early enough so that the club could react.
“I wanted everyone to come out of this stronger. [However], I said, ‘if you don’t want me to go I will stay’.”
It did not take long for the comments of the Real Madrid boss to spread with the implied notion being that Mbappe will switch to Spain’s biggest club in January next year, especially on the back of the confirmation from the French forward that he wanted to leave in the summer.
Perez therefore felt the need to make the point he was intending to pass across clearer with a clarification. He said: “My words have been misinterpreted. What I said is that I have to wait until next year to have news and this, always in respect of PSG with which we have a good relationship.”
While the possibility of Mbappe extending his contract with PSG has not been ruled out, Nasser bin Ghanim Al-Khelaifi, PSG President, has stated that their star striker will never leave the club on a free transfer.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
