There can be no doubt that Kylian Mbappé has been a highly sought-after figure in recent years.
After it was announced on Friday that he would not be continuing with Paris Saint-Germain, arms were raised in celebration in Madrid, where the royal club, Real Madrid, is likely to rejoice at securing one of the biggest signings ever – and on a free transfer no less.
The usually well-informed transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that last summer, Mbappé turned down an offer from Saudi Arabia that would have earned him 200 million euros per season.
“Kylian Mbappé did not wish to progress in negotiations with Premier League clubs over the last two years. He also rejected a seasonal salary of 200 million euros from Saudi Arabia last summer. The reason: He only wanted to move to Real Madrid and did not want to disappoint President Florentino Pérez after what happened in June 2022,” Romano wrote on social media platform X.
The Italian transfer journalist is referring to Real Madrid’s belief that they had secured a deal with Mbappé, but instead, he stayed and renewed his contract in Paris.
According to the French sports newspaper L’Equipe, the offer in July 2023 came from Saudi club Al-Hilal. When it was revealed last summer that he did not want to extend his contract with PSG, he was initially benched.
However, the situation later softened, and Mbappé has been a key figure for PSG, which reached the semifinals of this season’s Champions League and has already won Ligue 1.
Moreover, a final against Lyon in the French Cup is scheduled for May 25. He has already played his last match at Parc des Princes, where the fans of the club had the opportunity to say goodbye to the French superstar.
