Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has said that Kylian Mbappe is now not the same person that he was trying to sign for the Spanish capital club.
Mbappe recently made headlines after signing a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain, despite a protracted saga looking certain to end with the World Cup winner swapping Parc des Princes for the Santiago Bernabeu.
With Mbappe now tied to PSG for the foreseeable future, Perez has given details on how the scenario played out.
What did Perez say about Mbappe?
Speaking on El Chiringuito, Perez said: “Mbappe conveyed to the whole world his desire, his dream, to play for Real Madrid - he stated that publicly. We wanted to do it in August but it wasn't possible, they wouldn't let him go.
“It took a long time. We had to wait a year, that year passed and then the situation changed. I think it was due to political pressure and I think it was also economic.
“[PSG] practically offered him not only to be the leader of the team, but also of the management. It was at that point that we saw it wasn't the same Mbappe that we wanted to sign. He changed his dreams as a result of pressure.
“If a kid is called by the president of a country (Emmanuel Macron), of course it'll affect him. What makes no sense is that he did it at all – it influenced him a lot. But he could have succeeded at Real Madrid, just as Zidane did, and still be a source of pride for his country.
Getty“I think his mother wanted him to come to Real Madrid, because it was his dream as a little boy. I haven't spoken to her, but they tell us that she it upset. When the circumstances change and a person makes a decision, you have to respect it. He's 23 and was put under a lot of pressure.
“He told me about his decision in a message and I wished him luck. At the moment we are no longer interested because no player in the history of Real Madrid has ever been above the club. We're not going to make exceptions and risk mismanagement.
“This Mbappe is not the Mbappe I wanted. But if he changes... Life can take a thousand turns. I think they confused him and he's very young. I wish the best for him, I don't want anything bad for him. I just believe in the dream.
“Madridistas will be disappointed, but the Mbappe who wanted to come to Real Madrid was not this Mbappe.”
Despite all his talk of Mbappe being a different man, Perez did not completely rule out signing the striker in future, adding: “I have never said that it was finished forever between Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid. A lot of things can change in three years.”
Getty ImagesDid Mbappe saga stop Madrid getting Haaland?
Asked if waiting on Mbappe hindered a move for Erling Haaland, Perez replied: “It had nothing to do with it. We have the best centre-forward in the world (Karim Benzema) and at the moment he's incompatible with Haaland. We have a great team.
“For the moment, we have stopped signing players – among other things because we don't have room for more. Now we have to work on departures. Benzema will have a back-up, but only for when he is ill – not so we can bench him. For now, we have Jovic.”
