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Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has explained that she wants Kylian Mbappe to stay with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to inspire a generation of youngsters in the city.
Mbappe has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid as the attacker dreams of plying his trade in the Spanish capital.
The Frenchman’s goal against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Round of 16 Champions League clash turned out to be the difference last week. Many deemed the performance to be an exhibition of his talents for his future employers.
Kylian Mbappe's current contract with PSG expires in July this year. With no talk of an extension, it’s likely that Mbappe will leave as a free agent.
Hidalgo said she wants the young sensation to stay for reasons that extend beyond football and emphasized that the people of the city have a lot of affection for Mbappe. She said in an interview with Tele-Loisirs:
“Let him [Mbappe] stay, help us! Above all, I think that beyond football and results, he is so important, so useful to give hope to our young people... That's why I want him to stay.”
Hidalgo added:
“I just wanted to say that we love him so much. Just love, affection, and tell him that he is, in our country, in this city, such an example for many young people. He is aware of it.”
Kylian Mbappe doesn’t need to play for PSG to inspire the younger generation
Kylian Mbappe’s rise in recent years has already inspired a generation of footballers. The talented forward is yet to reach his peak years as an athlete, so he could have the world at his feet in a few seasons’ time.
Paris presidential candidate Hidalgo made a good point about the former Monaco ace staying within the city to motivate the younger people in the city.
However, the Frenchman doesn’t necessarily need to stay in the city to do so. Mbappe’s global appeal is already high, and a move to Real Madrid will only increase that.
Los Blancos are European heavyweights with a massive global reach, so the 23-year-old donning the famous white jersey will only increase his popularity. His performances for France have also been incredible despite the setback at Euro 2020. Mbappe notably missed his penalty in their Round of 16 shootout defeat against Switzerland.
The PSG forward will now hope to help Les Blues to back-to-back World Cup triumphs in Qatar later this year.
