Kylian Mbappe admits he wouldn't have played for Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint Germain if it wasn't for Luis Enrique's intervention.
If Paris Saint Germain head coach Luis Enrique and the club's football advisor Luis Campos had not intervened, Kylian Mbappe was not going to play for the Ligue 1 champions last season.
Kylian Mbappe had been put up for sale and was forced to train separately from his team mates last summer after failing to agree on another contract with the PSG hierarchy.
The French forward said Luis Enrique and Luis Campos intervened on his behalf to allow him to play last season.
Kylian Mbappe said the following at a France press conference;
I was told (that I won’t be playing for PSG), it was made clear to me, I was told through the media, it was told to my face. It was very clear. I was spoken to violently, I was told. So it was clear to me that I wasn’t going to play. Luis Enrique and Luis Campos saved me. Without them, I’d never have set foot on the pitch. That’s the strict truth, and that’s why I’ve always been so grateful to the coach and the sporting director. I hear all the criticism because I think I’m the best person to analyse my performances, so I have no problem letting my guard down here and saying that maybe it was a bit lower than my standards. But compared to everything I’ve experienced, just playing, repeating matches and winning trophies has been my greatest source of pride. But it’s certain that next year, I won’t be content with a year like this.
Mbappe signed a contract with PSG in the summer of 2022 which ran until 2024 and included an option to extend it for a further year. At that moment, he was close to a move to Real Madrid.
In June, Kylian Mbappe informed PSG that he would not extend his contract but intended to stay for the coming season. PSG were determined not to let Mbappe go for free so they sent him a three page letter accusing him of unsettling the club and giving him a deadline to make a decision on his future.
After holding talks with the club, Mbappe returned to first team training in August. He made 48 appearances, scored 44 goals and provided 10 assists for PSG last season.
Mbappe is PSG's all time top scorer with 256 goals in 308 appearances.
Mbappe's free transfer from PSG to Real Madrid was confirmed on Monday. He signed a five year deal with the Spanish Champions.
