Belligerent Los Blancos president Florentino Perez, obviously a man not used to being turned down, has finally been unable to offer his true views regarding his concerns over foreign state-owned clubs in a recent interview, with a particular reference to the Ligue 1 giants who had snubbed his recent summer offers for French dynamo striker Kylian Mbappe.
For quite a while now Real Madrid had enjoyed a comfortably amiable relationship with PSG, but that could all be coming to an abrupt end as the Los Blancos president has finally been unable to resist aiming a sly dig at their European heavyweight counterparts at the Parc des Princes. To those who are familiar with the huge ego of the Madrid president and critical of his modus operandi it was after all only a matter of time before the vitriolic gases seeped through after having been on the butt end of a rude snub for his earlier advances on the Parisian club’s Word Cu-winning striker.
The Santiago Bernabeu supremo finally spoke to Mundo Deportivo, giving his appraisal on the issue of state-owned clubs, a popular topic that is again on the resurgence after the recent Saudi PIF-led takeover at Newcastle. True to his form, clearly unable to resist unleashing the venom, Perez referenced the Los Madridistas’ failed attempts to sign Kylian Mbappe over the summer.
With their long-standing interest in the Frenchman, the Spanish giants had been very hopeful that the young French star – who recently guided his nation to 2022 World Cup qualification besides and who had also continually refused to renew his contract with PSG – would finally be able to join the Los Blancos in the summer transfer window upon returning from Euro 2020.
On the contrary, however, the Qatari-owned French giants made their disdain for the Spanish club’s offer known by blatantly refusing to entertain all offers for the 22-year-old, one of which was allegedly in the region of $226M.
Perez was left with no options in the meantime but to bottle up his indignation at having been turned down but has now finally decided to give vent to his seething rage and pent-up frustrations.
“We try to bring in good players and the best. But you have to have the possibility of playing,” Perez said to Mundo Deportivo.
“Now if we give €200million they wouldn’t sell. When the contract finishes it is better, but right now there are crazy state clubs and they won’t sell you the players.
“I fight because management is what prevails, it’s not money that they give you from the outside.
“The moment will arrive in which the 30 top clubs in Europe are owned by countries.
“That is not the start of the European community. I have come here to fight and to fight from the start.”
Clearly, even traditional teams as rich and powerful as the Spanish juggernauts at the Bernabeu are showing anxiety and concern that a club can so casually turn down that kind of candied-offer for a player who would be having the Bosman status of leaving for free within 12 months and even begin negotiations with suitors as early as January. Regardless, the Spanish giants are dead focused on their unrelenting, if not cocksure, plans to land the former Monaco starlet.
As yet there’s hardly anything to indicate the French star would be signing a new deal with his Ligue 1 club owners between now and next June, suggesting that Mbappe is likely to leave Paris as a free agent. That, on the surface of things, is what it appears to be.
However, PSG’s president, Nasser al-Khelaifi, is not known to be someone known to sit passively while marauding wolves plot to snag his sheep. He would see to it that no stone is left unturned in his efforts to try and convince his striker to stay at the club even though Mbappe, who has scored 12 goals in 19 games for both club and country this season, has previously stated that he only has eyes for Los Merengues if he does leave.
Interestingly, the French dynamo’s comment could even be taken as a tease as he has of late seemed to show a softening of heart and actually showed new sentiments about the Parisian club, admitting that he is happy where he is presently.
Could the young man be teasing both sides?