The hidden mechanics of Kylian Mbappé’s 2017 switch to PSG: what really tipped the scales
Kylian Mbappé is now in his third season at Real Madrid, wearing the iconic number 10. But the story could have begun nine years earlier if PSG had not thrown a spanner in the works. The arrival of Neymar played a huge role in Mbappé’s decision to don the Paris Saint-Germain shirt instead of the famous white of Real Madrid. That revelation came from his former teammate Thiago Silva last season.
Everything moved at breakneck speed for Kylian Mbappé. The 2016/2017 season was his first full campaign with AS Monaco. On Le Rocher, the kid from Bondy reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, knocking out Pep Guardiola‘s Manchester City and Thomas Tuchel‘s Borussia Dortmund along the way. At the same time, AS Monaco won Ligue 1 for the eighth time in their history, ending a 17-year drought. Mbappé was one of the architects of the temporary halt to PSG‘s dominance in Ligue 1 since 2013. That was the first turning point in his career.
Why choose PSG? Because PSG is my city’s team
At just 18 years old, a few months before his 19th birthday, which he could have celebrated as a Real Madrid player alongside his idol Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Sergio Ramos, Kylian Mbappé decided to reject the advances of president Florentino Pérez, who was ready to put €180m on the table. An offer matched by PSG in the final stretch of the summer transfer window. In December 2018, Mbappé spoke to Marca about the end of the saga surrounding his future. A particularly satisfying conclusion. “Why did I choose PSG? Because PSG is my city’s team. It’s as if a Madrid-born kid from Real has the chance to play for his team and goes elsewhere, to another country. No, no, I wanted to play for PSG and I’m very happy with how things are going so far. There were a lot of transfer rumors, it’s certain we talked, but I think that’s in the past for me and for Real Madrid. Now I play for PSG and I will defend these colors 100%.”
At the end of the match, he came to me and said: ‘If Neymar comes, I want to come too’
Kylian Mbappé did not simply choose to wear the red and blue of Paris Saint-Germain because of his ties to the Paris region. His former PSG captain spoke a few months ago to Ligue 1+ about the club’s current affairs. And Thiago Silva revealed a previously secret conversation with Kylian Mbappé after the Trophée des Champions in the summer of 2017. “I remember very well the Trophée des Champions against Mbappé’s Monaco. At the end of the match, he came to me and said: ‘If Neymar comes, I want to come too. You can talk to the president about it. I also want to be part of this team.’ Neymar signed and Mbappé arrived.”
An incredible friendship formed from the start
The scales therefore tipped in favor of Paris Saint-Germain for Kylian Mbappé, largely thanks to the presence of Neymar, who arrived in early August from FC Barcelona for a €222m fee. With the Brazilian star, the two men formed a close bond that eventually faded over time. “An incredible friendship formed from the start. Then a few years later, what happened happened. I’m a little disappointed by how things turned out. It should have gone differently.”
