Picture Credit: AP
France striker Kylian Mbappe has confirmed that he wanted to leave Paris Saint-Germain in July so that the French giants could earn some money from the transfer. Mbappe revealed that he had told the PSG management that he wanted to leave the club at the end of July, amid reported interest from Real Madrid. Notably, PSG turned down several bids from Real Madrid for Mbappe, who can now leave as a free agent at the end of this season as his current contract expires next June.
In an interview released on Monday by French broadcaster RMC, Mbappe said, "I wanted the club to have a fee for a quality replacement. My position was clear, I said that I wanted to leave. I did not appreciate the fact that they said I came [with the news he wanted to leave] in the last week of August. I said at the end of July that I wanted to go.
"I said it early enough so that the club could react. I wanted everyone to come out of this stronger, that we leave hand in hand.
"It is a club that has given me a lot, I have always been happy, the four years I spent here, and I am still happy. I announced it early enough...I said, if you don't want me to leave, I'll stay," Mbappe added.
The club made me feel like a thief over the issue: Mbappe
The World Cup-winning French star said that he gave PSG plenty of time to find a suitable replacement for him but the club made him feel like a thief over the issue.
Mbappe further denied he had turned down "six or seven" extension proposals.
"People have said that I refused six or seven offers of extension, that I do not want to talk to (sporting director) Leonardo, this is absolutely not true. They told me 'Kylian now you talk with the president'," Mbappe explained.
Spanish giants Real Madrid had a £137m bid rejected by PSG for the 22-year-old striker while a second improved offer in August was also reportedly turned down.
Mbappe can now sign a pre-contact agreement with another club in January and join them after the season with PSG getting no fee from the transfer.