Real Madrid signs Kylian Mbappe on free transfer
French forward Kylian Mbappe has signed with Real Madrid as a free agent, committing to a five-year contract, as announced by the LaLiga club on Monday. This marks the end of a transfer saga that had been ongoing for years before the European champions secured their latest “Galactico.”
“Real Madrid C.F. and Kylian Mbappe have come to an agreement where he will join Real Madrid for the next five seasons,” stated the Spanish champions, fresh off their 15th European Cup victory.
The 25-year-old captain of the French national team revealed his departure from Paris St Germain through a video shared on the social media platform X on May 10.
Mbappe will make the transition to Real Madrid in July following the expiration of his PSG contract on June 30. However, he will be officially presented before joining the France squad for the European Championship in Germany.
Mbappe adds to the constellation of stars in Madrid, joining the ranks of Ballon d’Or contenders Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham, under the guidance of Italian Carlo Ancelotti, the most successful coach in Champions League history with five titles.
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While Mbappe has clinched numerous trophies at PSG, often securing domestic doubles and trebles, the Champions League has remained elusive, representing the last major accolade to complete his illustrious career.
After seven years at PSG, Mbappe departs the club where he claimed six Ligue 1 titles and four French Cups, concluding his tenure in the capital city as the club’s record goal scorer with 256 goals.
The 2018 World Cup victor caught PSG off guard last year with a letter indicating his decision not to exercise the option for a one-year contract extension set to expire in June.
This correspondence sparked a standoff with the club, resulting in Mbappe’s exclusion from the first-team squad initially, before being reinstated later.
By allowing Mbappe to see out the final year of his contract, PSG forfeited the chance to recoup any of the 180 million euro ($195.95 million) transfer fee they disbursed in 2017 to secure his services from AS Monaco.
At the time of his transfer, Mbappe became the world’s second-most expensive player, trailing behind his former PSG teammate Neymar, who was acquired for 222 million euros from Barcelona in 2017.
Real Madrid had pursued Mbappe previously but failed to secure his signature. In May 2022, when the Spanish club’s bid was rejected, Mbappe opted for a contract extension with PSG.
With Mbappe finally part of their squad, Real Madrid can contemplate further solidifying their dominance in LaLiga. They lost just once last season, clinching the title with a 10-point lead, and remained unbeaten in the Champions League.
