Renowned French footballer Kylian Mbappé has reportedly reached a decision to join Real Madrid this summer, culminating months of speculation regarding the potential transfer of the 25-year-old superstar from Paris Saint-Germain to the Spanish club.
KEY FACTS The initial report surfaced from French newspaper Le Parisien, with ESPN subsequently corroborating the news on Saturday, citing undisclosed sources.
Sources revealed to ESPN that while Mbappé has not officially communicated his decision to either PSG or Real Madrid, the determination has been made, and an announcement could be forthcoming next week.
Mbappé has been associated with PSG since 2017, initially joining the club on loan from Monaco, with PSG assuming his contract rights fully the following year.
KEY BACKGROUND Widely acknowledged as one of the premier players of his generation, Mbappé secured a World Cup victory with France at the age of 19 in 2018, earning recognition as the tournament’s best young player. In the 2022 World Cup, he emerged as the top scorer with eight goals, leading France to another final appearance, ultimately succumbing to Argentina in penalty kicks. Domestically, he has claimed the top or co-leading scorer title in France’s Ligue 1 for the past five seasons and currently leads this season’s scoring chart with 20 goals—double that of the next highest scorer. Persistent rumors have surrounded Mbappé’s potential departure from PSG, with Real Madrid consistently identified as a likely destination. In 2022, Real Madrid made a substantial offer to entice Mbappé, but PSG managed to secure him for an additional two-year contract, set to expire this August.
FORBES VALUATION Mbappé ranks as the third-highest-paid athlete globally, according to Forbes’ latest World’s Highest Paid Athletes list, amassing total earnings of $120 million. He trails only Lionel Messi, who departed PSG last year for Inter Miami, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who played for Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018. Forbes estimates Real Madrid as the world’s most valuable soccer team, valued at slightly over $6 billion.