Former PSG sporting director wanted to sell Kylian Mbappé in 2021

Kylian Mbappé’s (25) long-awaited move to Real Madrid did take form this summer, however, it could have happened earlier if Paris Saint-Germain’s sporting director Leonardo had his way.

Faced with a decision, either to extend or leave on a free transfer and join Real Madrid in 2022, Mbappé opted for the former, signing a two-year extension, with the option for a further year. That extension coincided with the departure of Leonardo as sporting director at the club.

Speaking to Le Figaro, Leonardo stated that he was opposed to Mbappé’s contract renewal. “I was against it. Always. From the start,” he said.

Not only that, the former PSG sporting director believes that his former club should have sold Mbappé to Real Madrid at the end of the 2020/21 season, which would have allowed Les Parisiens to garner a fee for the France captain. “I think he should have even been sold at the end of the 2020/21 season when Real Madrid made an offer and he had just a year left on his contract,” said Leonardo.

The sporting director then went on to criticise his former club for their handling of the Mbappé situation and the way that he was allowed to eclipse the club. “What big institution collapsed when it lost a player? None. An element cannot be bigger than a club,” he told Le Figaro. 

Mbappé finally left PSG this summer after seven years at the club and in acrimonious circumstances with the two parties engaged in a bitter wage dispute. Whilst PSG are top of Ligue 1, they have struggled in the UEFA Champions League having registered just one win in this season’s edition of the competition. Luis Enrique, however, continues to insist that his side are stronger than they were last season, with Mbappé.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle