Maradona on Mbappé: "I told Florentino, just sign him!"

In December 2017, AS journalist Marco Ruiz interviewed Maradona in Dubai.The Argentine football legend was only to happy to gives his thoughts on Kylian Mbappé and even revealed that he had encouraged Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to sign the player who, just a few months earlier had joined Paris Saint-Germain on a one-year loan deal.

Maradona: "Mbappé, for me, is the big revelation right now"

Marco: "Do you think he could become the new..."

Maradona: "He could overtake a lot of players"

Marco: "Madrid couldn't sign him..."

Maradona: "And why couldn't they sign him? I said to Florentino, 'Sign Mbappé!'"

Marco: "You told him that?!"

Maradona: "I told him!"

Marco: "Where?!"

Maradona: "When we saw each other at FIFA. 'Sign Mbappé!' And told me, 'Well, you know, I've got Ronaldo, this player, that player...' 'Sign Mbappé! Who cares!".

Marco: "And what about Bale, where would Bale play? Bale wouldn't be able to play every game".

Maradona: "Listen, then sell Bale, just sell him! But hang on a minute, I'm not saying give him away - and Florentino is the last person who would give any player away! Florentino, never!"