Player named in Barcelona Mbappe snub as Chelsea links grow
Kylian Mbappe’s agent has revealed that the Paris Saint-Germain striker could have joined Barcelona before his big-money move to the Nou Camp.
Mbappe, 22, moved to the Parc des Princes from Monaco in the summer of 2017. His first year was on loan before the France international penned a permanent deal.
The Parisians paid a rumoured €145 million plus €35 million in add-ons for the youngster. He has certainly gone a long way to repaying that fee.
The Paris-born ace has scored 111 goals from 153 appearances in all competitions. He was at his best on Tuesday as PSG beat Barcelona 4-1 away from home in the Champions League last-16.
He scored a hat-trick as Mauricio Pochettino’s men ran riot. Lionel Messi scored for the hosts while on-loan Everton striker Moise Kean also netted.
The second leg is scheduled for Wednesday, March 10 and the Ligue 1 outfit are strong favourites to progress.
But it seems as though Mbappe could easily have been playing for the opposition earlier this week. Agent Junior Minguella has explained the situation and why the Spanish giants chose not to do a deal.
“It’s totally true. Mbappe was offered to Barcelona in 2017,” he told COPE. “It wasn’t as simple as it seemed, but we arrived in the moment because of Neymar.
“Neymar had a contract and it (his departure) wasn’t confirmed. The club did not want to take any steps until Neymar left.
“When Neymar left, around the time they confirmed that he left, basically, the coaches had doubts on the type of player and they preferred (Ousmane) Dembele.”
Paris future uncertain
Mbappe will fall out of contract with PSG at the end of the 2021-2022 season. Many clubs have been linked although the fee involved would be astronomical.
Liverpool and Real Madrid are the two clubs mentioned in connection with the World Cup winner. But Thomas Tuchel’s arrival at Chelsea has seen them enter the picture as a possible destination.
The German worked with Mbappe in the French capital and is said to have a good relationship with the player. It is not known if Barca will thrown their hat into the ring but Minguella suggests the starlet was keen.
He added: “Kylian preferred to come to Barcelona because at that time, Neymar left and there was a place for him to play, and at Real Madrid, there was (Gareth) Bale, Cristiano (Ronaldo), (Karim) Benzema etc. There was no place open.”
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