Making sense of the Kylian Mbappé transfer saga at Real Madrid
By Hasan Karim
It was never meant to be like this – if you had asked any football fan in the world last summer, they would have probably told you Kylian Mbappé seems to be a nailed-on Real Madrid player in the summer of 2022.
Yet, here we are, May 2022 and Mbappé has just extended his contract at Paris Saint-Germain until 2024 with the potential to extend for a further year until 2025. Poof, just like that, Florentino Pérez’s elaborate plan of opening the new Bernabéu with his superstar signing has been thrown into chaos.
Since the confirmation of his extension, the entire club and its surroundings have descended into an uproar – Mbappé receiving the brunt of it, with many reports stating that is it, he will never don the royal white jersey.
But is it really as clear-cut as this? Is Florentino Pérez just going to move on and target an alternative? Therein lies the problem – whilst there are certainly alternative and talented players, let us not forget just how good the Frenchman is.
Regardless of how we may feel about his decision, his talent is undeniable and to discard a potential future move is both nonsensical and quite frankly, an overreaction. Understandably, the situation is raw for many Madridistas, after all, he was seen as one of us – a Madrid fan, a player who dreamed of playing under the bright lights of the Santiago Bernabéu, as his idols like Cristiano Ronaldo had done.
Real Madrid may benefit from Kylian Mbappe’s decision in the long run
It is natural for there to be a feeling of betrayal, after all, the numerous reports that emerged had stated he had given his word to Pérez and the club – the agreement may not have been formally signed, but a promise was made.
However, this situation as it stands may actually be beneficial for Real Madrid, more so than many are realising. The Frenchman in all of his media outings since the extension was confirmed has stated that Real remains his dream club and that he wants to just enjoy a little more time in his native country, in his home city.
Reports have suggested that his contract is not a straightforward three-year deal, but rather it is a two-year deal with the option for a further year extension. Why is this relevant? It all links back to why PSG were initially digging their heels in.
Given their connections to Qatar, losing a hugely marketable star ahead of the World Cup being hosted there was seen as potentially damaging for them. Alongside that, losing him for free would have been an even heavier blow to the club.
Real Madrid can focus on strengthening their weak areas
But what does any of this have to do with Real Madrid? How does it aid them in this current situation? In fact, it can aid them in a number of ways. First of all, the financial burden of signing Mbappé would have been monumental – that isn’t to say a future deal won’t be expensive, but at this present moment, it would have been a considerable burden.
The club had been saving for this transfer for the last few years, but with him not arriving now, it opens up a number of doors. What Real can now do is build a collectively stronger squad, strengthening weakened areas and setting themselves up for years to come.
Keep in mind that once the new stadium opens, the streams of revenue for the club will also be improved further, meaning that they can revisit this saga in the future – a stronger squad in tow, whilst potentially picking up an even more improved Mbappé by that point.
In essence, what this allows Real to do is go through a transition with complete freedom – there isn’t a burden to house a superstar right now, but rather keep building a collective effort. It will make for a much more harmonious move from the old guard to the new.
Of course, there is still frustration with fans who may condemn the idea of signing Mbappé based on this saga, but in reality, football moves fast – he hasn’t closed the door and seemingly neither has Pérez, but what has occurred is more a simple case of leaving the door open for when an even better time will present itself.
Next. Ranking the 5 most disappointing transfers in Real Madrid history. dark
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Until then, Madridistas can continue to enjoy the rise of Vini, Fede, Camavinga, and Rodrygo – they can enjoy the twilight years of Benzema, Modric, and Kroos. They can welcome in the new faces that are now possible with the Mbappé saga aside, all whilst potentially one day welcoming a world superstar in the future.