Kylian Mbappe has officially confirmed his departure from Paris Saint-Germain, paving the way for a potential move to Real Madrid. With his contract set to expire in the summer Mbappe’s future has been the subject of much speculation for some time. In an emotional farewell address, he confirmed that he will be taking on a new challenge after seven years with the French club.
According to reports, Mbappe is expected to join Real Madrid in a deal that could be the most costly free transfer in history. Fabrizio Romano has reported that all agreements have been made since February, and Mbappe will travel to the Santiago Bernabeu with a staggering annual salary of £171 million. However, Sky Sports reports that he will accept a wage decrease at Real Madrid.
It’s understood that Real Madrid will essentially be giving Mbappe the money that they would have paid as a transfer fee, with reports in Spain suggesting that he could receive a signing-on fee in excess of £100 million. Mbappe will make his farewell appearance at Parc des Princes on Sunday, where he will bid the PSG faithful farewell with passion.
In his statement, Mbappe said: “It’s a lot of feelings, many years where I had the privilege and the great pleasure to be a member of the largest French club, one of the finest in the world. It made it possible for me to come here, experience my first-ever game in a high-pressure club, and, of course, develop as a player by playing with some of the greatest players in history. It’s challenging, and I never imagined that making the announcement would be so challenging. But after seven years, I believe I needed this – a fresh challenge.”