Journalist Sid Lowe is a Spanish football expert and he recently appeared on ESPN FC to discuss whether or not Real Madrid could actually pull off a transfer for Kylian Mbappé.
The rumors linking the La Liga club with the Paris Saint-Germain forward aren’t new but following another sideline dust-up with manager Thomas Tuchel, some speculate, like Dan Thomas of ESPN FC, that it’s all part of Mbappé’s plan to force his way out of the French capital.
The question, though, is do Real Madrid really want Mbappé and more importantly, can they afford him?
“Yes, they [Real Madrid] want him [Mbappé]. Yes, they believe they can find a way to afford him,” Lowe said.
“They want to try and create the conditions in which they can make this happen. That obviously involves the player doing his part trying to force his way out.”
“It involves trying to drive the price down and they know, of course, in the shape of Paris Saint-Germain, they have an incredibly difficult adversary. They have an adversary that can basically say ‘the money doesn’t matter.’ This is where the doubts lie for Real Madrid is about getting him out of Paris Saint-Germain.”
“Of course they also believe that it’s possible that there is a risk that it’s not just about the price it’s about the willingness to sell at any price of PSG. If that happens, of course, they will then have to wait until the point of which the regulations mean that a price is set on their behalf.”
Lowe isn’t wrong here. It’s been reported that PSG may try and keep Mbappé for the duration of his contract, which ends in 2022, if he doesn’t sign an extension after this season ends.
There is an obscure article in the FIFA bylaws that could force PSG to sell for a fee they determine but I think that’s something the club would challenge in the courts.
Few players stay with the same club their entire career so it’s more likely than not that Mbappé will leave PSG at some point. The only question is when.
Right now, Mbappé plays alongside Neymar Jr. and in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season, PSG defeated Madrid 5-2 on aggregate over two matches to top the group. Los Blancos may have the history, but PSG has the players and are in a better position to win right now.
With that in mind, I believe Mbappé will sign an extension with PSG after this season that will increase his wages closer to what Neymar earns. That will quiet the transfer talk and allow PSG to make a serious run at the Champions League for at least a few more seasons. Mbappé is only 21-years-old and has plenty of years in his prime to play in Spain.
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