Madrid enter fray for Mbappé, who almost signed in 2014
Zinedine Zidane recommended the Monaco sensation three years ago and although the youngster visited Valdebebas no agreement was reachedPSG - Real Madrid: Champions League
Real Madrid are set to reignite their interest in Monaco star Kylian Mbappé, whose performances for the Ligue 1 side this season have earned the 18-year-old a call-up to the France national team.
France call-up
Mbappé starred as Monaco dumped Manchester City out of the Champions League in a stunning 6-6 aggregate victory, scoring the opening goal in the return leg last Wednesday. In France he is already drawing comparisons with former Monaco forward Thierry Henry and Didier Deschamps has seen enough to have included Mbappé in his latest Bleus squad.
Zidane interest
The main driver behind Madrid’s interest in Mbappé, who is the son of a football coach and a basketball player, is Zinedine Zidane. The current Real boss recommended the youngster in 2014 and although Mbappé visited Valdebebas and met his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, no agreement was reached and he instead signed for Monaco. “I was like a wide-eyed kid when Zidane, France’s greatest-ever player, called me but I didn’t go to Madrid because I didn’t want to leave my country at such a young age,” Mbappé said in an interview with ESPN last December.
Since then Mbappé has exploded. In his last four games as a starter he has scored seven goals and has 17 in total this season. Jorge Mendes has expressed an interest in representing the 18-year-old, whose parents currently handle his affairs and in France there is talk of an 80-millio-euro price tag to acquire his services.
Monaco president: "Our intention is to keep Mbappé"
Even so, Monaco president Vadim Vasilyev, has intimated he will not enter negotiations lightly: “Our intention is to keep him here. He is a product of our academy.”
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