Real Madrid News
Ex-Real Madrid forward believes Mbappe did not leave PSG because of ‘personal pressure’
Former Real Madrid winger Jese Rodriguez has revealed that Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe informed him and other players who speak Spanish at the team that he would be joining Real Madrid.
Kylian Mbappe is thought to be the primary goal for Real Madrid over the last few transfer windows. And if reports are to be believed, the team from the capital city is ready to break the bank for the French superstar in the summer.
As reported before, the Madrid management is willing to spend a whopping €1 billion for his signature over the next four seasons. During the transfer itself, they would have to pay €150 million upfront apart from the usual signing-on bonus and commissions.
In all fairness, Madrid are desperate to find a forward mostly because the situation with a certain Karim Benzema isn’t ideal, to say the very least. The 35-year-old’s influence is slowly fading away and Madrid president, Florentino Perez, is of the idea that Mbappe would be a perfect candidate to replace the veteran Frenchman.
It must be remembered that Mbappe was close to joining the Madrid team earlier this year, but the young forward decided to sign an extension until 2025 instead.
Talking about the incident, Jese Rodriguez remembers that the player was, in fact, keen on joining Madrid but decided to listen to his heart instead.
“No, I didn’t speak to him again,” Jese told AS referring to his last conversation with the French forward.
“But come on, it was clear to me because he told me [that he was going to sign for Madrid]. He said it to me and I say it to more people: to those of us who spoke Spanish. I think it was more personal pressure than professional pressure.
“All players make decisions, they can make mistakes or accept the decision. But people cannot be involved. For example, the president of France can’t tell you ‘don’t go here, you have to stay’. In my opinion, I think he felt more personal pressure than professional pressure to make a decision,” Jese concluded.
For now, there is no certainty over Mbappe’s future but it is said that now he has fulfilled his promises with the Qatar-owned team, he will not be stopped in the summer.
Although Antonio Rudiger has had success since joining Real Madrid last summer, the club are in need of more depth and players that can form the backbone of the defensive unit in the years to come.
As part of their plans, Real Madrid are prioritising a move for Josko Gvardiol in the coming summer, reports 90 Min.
The outlet suggests Gvardiol will be one of the most wanted prospects in the market, with both Real Madrid and Manchester City eyeing a move for the Croatian international come the end of the season.
Formerly of Dinamo Zagreb, Gvardiol has enjoyed immense success since his move to the Bundesliga in 2021. He has impressed onlookers with his skill, organisation and discipline, which, coupled with his versatility, make him an appealing target for any European giant.
Gvardiol was also one of the top performers at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, helping Croatia finish third in the competition. His performances have not gone unnoticed, with Real Madrid among the clubs who have been keeping an eye on the defender for a while now.
However, signing Gvardiol will be a tricky task for Los Blancos. The player still has a long-term contract at Leipzig and could cost up to €85 million, as reported by 90 Min. Not to mention, the competition from Man City could be significant.
Real Madrid have no shortage of alternatives, though, with the club notably closely monitoring Portuguese defensive whizkid Antonio Silva, among others. So it will be interesting to see how the Spanish giants approach the market in this coming summer.
