Kylian Mbappe chose PSG over Real Madrid - the soap opera is over but questions remain

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The hottest young talent in the game is staying at Paris Saint-Germain and not joining Real Madrid. For much of the past year, it was a foregone conclusion that Kylian Mbappe would leave Paris Saint-Germain and join Real Madrid.

Mbappe has a flirtatious history with Madrid. He was invited to training sessions as an 11 year old and slept under a poster of a happy, productive Madrid player. The promise of playing time and growth in the French league was one of the reasons why Kylian Mbappe chose to leave Monaco for Paris Saint-Germain.

A year ago, Mbappe seemed ready to move, but this time it was Paris Saint-Germain who blocked the deal, turning down a reported offer of close to $200 million. It was clear that the prevailing wisdom was correct. The stock explanation was that, since they had just added Lionel Messi to the mix, they could not let him go, but if he does, next summer.

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Nothing to stop him. Except for the fact that Mbappe decided to stay at the club.

This was a huge coup for the French club and their owners. You keep the gang together for another season and have another run at the trophy. You show the world that there is a serious sporting commitment behind the club, that this is not just a showpiece for the World Cup in November, but a giant PR project. For Paris and France as a whole, there is a fair amount of pride in the fact that this is a native son who was raised in the City of Light.

Still, there will be questions. The club recorded losses of nearly €350m ($390m) in the pandemic-affected seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21 and doubled down with a massive spree last summer (acquiring the contracts of Achraf Hakimi and Danilo Pereira for around $100m combined and signing pricey free agents such as Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum and, of course, Messi).

The latest news and reaction from Gabriele.

Spending restrictions will come into effect in 2023, when the game's governing body in Europe introduces them. The president of LaLiga questioned if Paris Saint-Germain were serious about observing them.

There would be no new meetings with clubs regarding the future of Mbappe, according to his mother. Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain made their final offers in an effort to keep him.

She told Kora Plus that they had found an agreement with both Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, but that it was Kylian who had to choose. My son would have control of his image rights at Real. We will wait for his decision.

It's rare to get such clarity from a defacto agent, like the one who gave it to Mbappe, who doesn't have an official representative and relies on parents who are separated. He wanted to show that the French club had done everything they could to keep him and that he was ready to commit to them. It would have been possible for an agent to do business with both clubs in the future. Not much from a mom.

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Real Madrid reacted negatively to reports that Kylian Mbappe will stay at Paris Saint-Germain.

This feels like one of those great Real Madrid teams. They won't be in soap opera romances. They get their way when you deny them so many times. Unless there's more here that we don't know, Mbappe might have used up his allotted nons. His new contract at Paris Saint-Germain contains a release clause that will allow him to join Madrid later if he wins the European Championship with Messi at his side. All this is speculation.

There is a 2022-23 season for which to prepare. Real Madrid was going to spend a lot in the summer when they reloaded with Kylian Mbappe. He was going to team up with two of his idols, one of which was a Ballon d'Or winner.

Real Madrid rode their veteran stars in winning LaLiga and reaching the European Championship final on May 28th, which is in Paris, and some were hoping that Kylian Mbappe would be there to cheer them on. The team needs fresh blood and depth. It won't be a part of him. At least not next year.

That is the thing about romance. Rings on fingers in this sport can be removed, sometimes easily, sometimes at great expense, and until he retires, it feels like there will always be a flicker of it.

The best romantic soaps keep the suspense going as long as possible.