As Real Madrid fans begin to resign themselves to the fact that Kylian Mbappe will not be coming in the summer 2021 transfer window, they are also realizing that PSG are creating a league of their own. This summer, PSG have signed a handful of the best players in the world, including Lionel Messi on a free transfer. FFP is a mild inconvenience, rather than a rule protecting competitive balance in the Champions League, to PSG, and by keeping Mbappe after signing Messi, the club will have flouted this admittedly weak safeguard.
But aside from the power that being a state-funded enterprise has afforded them, PSG may be breaking an unwritten rule if they do indeed keep Mbappe, as is expected, this summer.
I need to first define what an “unwritten” rule is. As opposed to an actual rule that is either legally binding or a written guideline, an unwritten rule is more of a custom or precedent. It is a tacit, implied rule that is more tradition than law.
Whenever a superstar player has one year on their contract, has made it clear there is a club they would like to go to, and handles everything responsibly and respectfully in private, that player is supposed to get the move they wish one year early before hitting free agency. There is no rule saying teams have to treat a player in this way, but there is an understanding throughout football that when you have a top player who has given you years of excellence without fuss and does not try to force themselves out early, you are supposed to respectfully grant their wish.
Real Madrid bought two superstars in this manner
Real Madrid fans are actually quite familiar with this rule. Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to leave Manchester United for Real Madrid. He and Sir Alex Ferguson came to an understanding that Ronaldo would give his all for the club and then get his dream move to rescue Madrid in the summer before the final year of his United contract.
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The same happened with the theoretical next great No. 7 at Madrid, Eden Hazard. He was the Premier League’s best player and an icon at Chelsea, but he dreamed of making it at the Santiago Bernabeu. The reason why he cost 100 million euros (at a minimum) despite only having a year on his contract? The answer is not “because Florentino Perez is an idiot”. No, the answer is because Hazard, Real, and Chelsea came to an understanding that Hazard would give his all, then leave at a price reflecting his quality before the final year of his contract.
For the sake of balance, Real Madrid have done this with their players as well. They do not hold players hostage, as we saw with Martin Odegaard. Raphael Varane is a more pertinent case, given he wanted a new challenge at United with one year left on his deal and was granted a move, without fuss, for just 50 million euros.
So if PSG play hardball with Mbappe, who has made no public statements to put the club in a tough position, then they are making a statement to every club and player in Europe. The statement is this. PSG do not abide by the standards everyone else have set. They do whatever they want. With their money, influence, and power, they have no interest in ascribing to customs. They do things their way.
Real Madrid would actually benefit from PSG’s hardline position
The drawback to this, of course, is that money only goes so far. Mbappe has resisted lucrative offer after lucrative offer to make it clear he wants Real Madrid. Erling Haaland has been linked more closely with Real than PSG. Jadon Sancho went to United. Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern, and other traditionally prestigious clubs will always attract talent. PSG, at a certain point, will only be able to attract later-stage career players looking for one last paycheck, as opposed to ambitious superstars, and perhaps this lack of respect to Mbappe will be a defining reason.
Mbappe has given PSG so much during his time in his hometown club. He scored 27 goals with 7 assists last season, carrying a thoroughly disappointing side. And despite dealing with bloviated statements from Nasser Al-Khelaifi speaking on his behalf, he has never once thrown a fit or hinted at any discontent with the powers-that-be at PSG.
And yet Mbappe may not get his dream move until he has to leave for free. There’s always a chance PSG grant his request before the window closes, but the longer they drag this out, the more other top players under the age of 25 will begin to look at Ligue 1’s ultra-rich club with trepidation and suspicion. PSG are within their rights to be strong and stubborn. Mbappe is their player under contract. But sometimes, you pay the price for going against the unwritten rules. Even if you are as rich, powerful, and confident as PSG’s ownership.
Of course, quietly, Real Madrid won’t complain. Perez would love to have Mbappe, but he can live with one more season of unrest and criticisms from fans. After all, he hired Carlo Ancelotti to navigate the choppy waters. He won’t be upset at being able to sign the most valuable player in the world for free in 2022, which would give him the room to make his ambitious double-swoop for both Haaland and Mbappe. An up-front investment of 120-150 million euros for Mbappe is worth it, given his quality and marketability, but Perez has never been averse to patience when the payoff is this big.
But PSG’s apparent stance speaks to a different issue than anything affecting Los Blancos in the long term. The way they have handled this Mbappe transfer saga is a sign that they want to play by their own rules, and the implications of the way they do business will be interesting to reflect on as players and other clubs respond accordingly.
Remember, there’s a reason why Real Madrid remain such a destination for aspiring superstars. As cutthroat as this environment can be, players always know that if they want to leave Madrid for any reason, they will not be forced to stay (well, unless they don’t want to accept a paycut to move to a smaller club). And Real don’t do this out of the kindness of their hearts. They didn’t sell Angel Di Maria or Odegaard out of generosity. They take this stance to ensure that their reputation to players, agents, and other clubs remains high. You can only ruffle so many feathers in the small, interconnected world of elite-level football.