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PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe has revealed to the New York Times that French President Emmanuel Macron attempted to persuade him to stay at the club.
The 23-year-old striker was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer as his PSG contract was set to expire.
At the last minute, Mbappe instead decided to sign a mega-money three-year extension at the Parc des Princes, much to the disappointment of Los Blancos and LaLiga.
The French international has now claimed that President Macron tried to influence his decision, as he stated:
“I never imagined I’m gonna talk with the president about my future, about my future in my career, so it’s something crazy, really something crazy."
He continued:
“He told me: ‘I want you to stay. I don’t want you to leave now. You are so important for the country.’“
The striker also claimed that Macron addressed the rumors of him joining Real Madrid, as Macron apparently added:
“You have time to leave, you can stay a little bit more.”
Mbappe was clearly honored to have the conversation, as he proclaimed:
“Of course, when the president says that to you, that counts.”
Kylian Mbappe refuses to close door on Real Madrid move despite PSG contract extension
Rumors continue to rumble that the European champions are still interested in signing the World Cup winner, who has made a spectacular start to the season.
Later in the interview, the pacy attacker was asked if he thought a move to the Bernabeu could be in the future.
He replied:
“You never know what is going to happen. I've never been there [Real Madrid] but it seems like it's my home or something like that.”
The forward moved to PSG in 2017 from Monaco and has since become one of world football's elite players. He has netted 178 times in 222 appearances for the club, including seven goals in five games under boss Christophe Galtier.
The Ligue 1 champions have made an electric, unbeaten start to the season, with the front three of Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar finally beginning to click.
But it is no secret that the Qatari-owned club are desperate to claim their inaugural Champions League title and take on Juventus in their European opener this evening.
PSG were dumped out in humiliating fashion last season against Real Madrid, with Karim Benzema scoring a quickfire hat-trick to condemn the Parisiens to an early exit.
