Real Madrid Transfers: 5 things we learned from the Kylian Mbappe saga

Money isn’t everything

You probably already knew this, but it is easy to get discouraged in the current football landscape where PSG, Manchester City, and Chelsea can spend, spend, and spend in a pandemic transfer window when so many clubs are at risk of going under – including historic clubs like Inter MIlan and FC Schalke 04.

Even though PSG have the money to offer Mbappe the richest contract in history, the French superstar has not made any indications he is even contemplating the deal. For more than a year, Mbappe has rejected advances from his current club, even against the wishes of his father, who would prefer he take the money he is offered.

Of course, Mbappe is smarter than his father, who has not exactly been a great agent (I am hard-pressed to believe that Mbappe would still be with PSG with Mino Raiola or Jorge Mendes in his corner). Because Mbappe knows that he could make more money in endorsements by being THE superstar at Real Madrid, as opposed to taking a salary to be “a” superstar at PSG with Neymar and Lionel Messi in a league that is suffering economically whereas PSG thrive beyond belief.

Moreover, Mbappe knows that there are more important things than money. Such as peace of mind. Legacy. Responsibility. Dreams. Control over one’s destiny.

Mbappe will still be ridiculously rich, and Real Madrid are no small, humble club either. So the extra millions from PSG mean even less to someone whose dream is to be the best footballer ever -not a highly-paid pawn in a sportswashing project.