French president Emmanuel Macron reveals he DID tell Kylian Mbappe ‘to remain in France’ when the PSG striker was weighing up a move to Real Madrid – before he signed a £650,000-a-week deal to stay in Paris
- Kylian Mbappe shocked the world when he signed a new three-year deal at PSG
- The forward was widely tipped to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer
- Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that he influenced Mbappe’s decision-making
- France’s president says he had to ‘defend the country’ and keep Mbappe in Paris
French president Emmanuel Macron has revealed that he influenced Kylian Mbappe’s decision to stay at PSG.
With his contract in Paris coming to an end this summer, the forward was widely expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer but then snubbed the Spanish club and agreed a new three-year deal at the Parc des Princes.
He will earn a staggering £650,000-a-week until June 2025, making him the highest paid player in the world.
Kylian Mbappe shocked the world when he signed a new three-year deal at PSG last month
French president Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that he spoke to Mbappe about his future
It was reported that Macron played a role in convincing Mbappe to continue with PSG and the 44-year-old has now confirmed that this was the case.
‘Yes, it is true that I had a conversation with Kylian Mbappe before he made a firm decision about his future,’ Macron said.
‘In it, I merely advised him, in a totally informal way, to remain in France. I believe it is my responsibility, as president, to defend the country when asked in an informal and friendly manner.
‘I have never intervened in any transfer. Just like any other citizen, when it comes to sporting matters, I always want to see a good game and cheer on a team, especially, in my case, Olympique de Marseille.’
It has been claimed that Macron reminded the 23-year-old of his role model status in France
Mbappe was widely expected to join Real Madrid this summer but then performed a U-turn
Goal previously claimed that Macron told Mbappe that he could be Paris’ poster boy when the Olympic Games are held in the city in 2024 and urged him to stay in France as a role model for younger generations.
A discussion with the president was said to be one of several factors that contributed to Mbappe’s U-turn over his future.
According to Marca, the 23-year-old will have an input on key decisions in Paris, such as who to appoint as the next sporting director and manager.
Meanwhile, Macron confirmed his intention to find out everything possible about the chaos outside the Stade de France that marred the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid last month.
Macron also said he intends to bring the truth to light about the Champions League final chaos
Supporters were forced into dangerous bottlenecks outside the stadium as they waited in queues for up to three hours. Police used pepper spray and tear gas on innocent fans, many of whom were told their tickets were not valid.
‘I sympathise with all those who could not get access to their seats despite having paid for their tickets, these people must be compensated as soon as possible,’ Macron said.
‘And I also want maximum transparency: I have asked the government to clarify what happened, to determine responsibilities and to explain everything down to the smallest detail to the French, the British, and the Spanish.’
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