The 36 is in the display case and Kylian Mbappé is in the oven. The endless signing looms close. The link to a project designed with care. Young footballers of endless potential (Valverde, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Militao, Camavinga, Tchouameni, Bellingham…) with the still PSG attacker as the golden icing. There is no official status yet, but since Kylian transferred the ‘c’est fini’ to Nasser Al Khelaifi on February 15, his signing for Madrid is unofficial. As reported by AS, everything is agreed. “He has it done with Madrid 100%,” Al Khelaifi himself acknowledged to his closest circle. Although from the white club, with the mint in the fight for 15, PSG still alive in the continental competition and the memory of Kylian’s very painful swerve in 2022, they maintain the Silenzio Stampa. But all the paths of Mbappé and Madrid converge.
So far, neither player nor PSG have verbalized this breakup publicly. Although a gentlemen’s agreement has surfaced that has allowed certain aspects of this final chapter to be ironed out. “We have an agreement with the president that means all parties are protected. My future is not an internal question. You have to think about the team,” Kylian confirmed in February. And until then he wanted to read. A handshake with a benefit for PSG, alleviating the economic damage as much as possible. Bondy’s star ends his contract on June 30 and, therefore, will land as a free player in Madrid. At zero cost. In deference to the club and the fans, Kylian agreed with Al Khelaifi to forgive 80 million euros that corresponded to him as a loyalty bonus, in addition to committing to the Qatari president to give him the scoop on his decision when it was final. He already did it and the bridges are built.
Enlarge
Mbappé gestures in the preview of the Champions League semi-final against Dortmund.FRANCK FIFEAFP
What’s more, one of the biggest concerns that could flourish in Real Madrid, the coexistence of Mbappe and Vinicius, with a desire to start from the left, is not such. “Kylian knows that being in Madrid it will be much easier for him to win the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or. And if he also wins the Golden Boot, all the better for him. Playing as a nine in Madrid you can get excited about scoring goals,” commented days ago from those closest to the footballer to this newspaper. While Vini is completing a campaign being more forward and less extreme. In both cases there would be no friction when coupling and Ancelotti smiles about it. Or he will when everything is confirmed.
Because Mbappé will arrive with the Galactico label, with 43 goals and 10 assists this season as the greatest scorer in PSG history (255 goals). He will land in a Madrid built with victories and not under construction. In the absence of the final doodle, the best is yet to come.
Roberto Carlos, Marcelo… and Davies?
And from the endless story to a signing that has been in the works for more than a year and a half. In December 2022, AS announced its interest in Alphonso Davies for the summer of 2024 and he is here. The operation enters its final phase. His situation (his contract ends in 2025), his age (23 years) and his experience (he has shined at Bayern since 2019 and has 13 titles, the 2020 Champions League included) resulted in a seductive cocktail. This is how Madrid’s courtship began.
Enlarge
Alphonso Davies y Harry Kane RONALD WITTEKEFE
The sine qua non condition for the operation to be viable has been immutable: avoiding renewal. A job in the shadows that has seduced the Canadian. Bayern launches ultimatum after ultimatum, to no avail. Something that places the balance on Madrid’s side. Sale or Davies flies for free in 2025, an option that they do not rule out in Chamartín. Meanwhile, the agreement between the footballer and the white club is practically closed. “Details” are missing.
Related news
Another story is the handshake between entities. From Germany they place the starting point at €50 million, an amount that Madrid understands to be high due to the context. Although the footballer is valued at €60 million by Transfermarkt. The reality is that we are facing two historic teams who, after facing each other in the Champions League semi-finals, are condemned to understand each other in the offices. If Madrid accelerates, after the Mendy impasse, they will once again have a locomotive on the left. Roberto Carlos, Marcelo… and Davies?
Follow the Diario AS channel on WhatsAppwhere you will find all the sport in a single space: the news of the day, the agenda with the latest news of the most important sporting events, the most outstanding images, the opinion of the best AS brands, reports, videos, and some humor from time to time.
2024-05-05 09:42:20
