"I can't say anything
," said Paris Saint Germain coach
Luis Enrique
this Friday , when asked about the imminent departure in June of
Kylian Mbappé
, who announced his decision the day before to the club's leaders, causing a shock in the club. world football.
"I'm going to try to settle this issue: until the parties involved speak out, I'm not going to comment on anything (...) Neither Kylian Mbappé nor anyone from the club has come out publicly. I'm the coach, when the parties speak, I'll give you I will gladly give my opinion
," declared the Spaniard at a press conference at the PSG Campus in Poissy, on the outskirts of Paris.
Photo: EFE/EPA/TERESA SUAREZ
But Luis Enrique, faithful to his spicy style, left a ready-made phrase that hides something behind:
"The club and the team are above all individuals
. "
And he concluded:
"To be sitting where I am, you have to have personality and experience, know that around the club there are always rumors, criticism, praise... Anyone who doesn't like it can't be in the club
. "
On Thursday the football world woke up to the news that the millions of dollars from Qatar will not be enough to retain Mbappé at PSG.
The forward has already notified
Nasser Al Khelaifi
, president of the French capital club, that he has decided to leave at the end of next June by taking advantage of the expiration of his contract.
"The terms of the departure have not yet been fully agreed, but Mbappé will leave Paris in the summer; Kylian still has to fulfill his commitments to the club
," said the journalist specializing in the transfer market, Fabrizio Romano.
A future in Spain, or can the Premier League get involved?
In this way, the Frenchman's name once again appears in the focus of Real Madrid.
In fact, all roads seem to lead to the White House.
Already in February, before a hypothetical crossing in the Champions League, PSG's number 7 opens the curtain again on a work without an official outcome, but which brightens the face and brings smiles to the Valdebebas offices.
Seven years ago, Real Madrid set its sights on a young footballer born in the town of Bondy, located in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, northeast of Paris, who was dazzling at Monaco.
Kylian Mbappé at Monaco, in 2016. Photo: AP / Lionel Cironneau, File
But there is a competitor that is willing to bid for the French star:
the Premier League
.
It is the best league in the world, the one that moves the most money and the one that attracts the biggest media figures in this sport.
It also seems to be almost impossible to get hold of Mbappé.
In a period of inflation and economic recession and with most of the big teams with their squads impeccable, the Frenchman's arrival in England would be a utopia, except for the biggest of complications.
Photo: Reuters/Andrew Boyers
This Friday, the one who made his interest public was Mikel Arteta himself, manager of Arsenal, who urged the leaders of his club to
be in the conversation to acquire players of Mbappé's caliber
.
Neither the Gunners, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City have room and/or money to incorporate the most expensive footballer in the world.
Arsenal, for example, already have plenty of wingers, such as Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, and he would only fit as a 'nine', but Arsenal's lack of success, both in Europe and in England - they have never won a Champions League and have 20 years without the Premier - complicates his arrival.
Same case as Tottenham Hotspur, which lacks the resume of titles that would seduce Mbappé.
At Chelsea, finances, in addition to the state of the team, are the problem.
After more than 1,000 million spent since the summer of 2022, the London club has turned off the tap due to fear of financial fair play.
In addition, the club may be subject to sanctions for Roman Abramovich's dealings in the signings of Samuel Eto'o, Willian and Eden Hazard.
Manchester City simply does not need Mbappé, already having Haaland and a large group of attacking players such as world champion Julián Álvarez.
In addition, the 'Sky Blues' have been accused by the Premier League of 115 financial irregularities, so reaching the 'Turtle' can come hand in hand with sanctions that would range from the loss of points to relegation.
In the case of Manchester United, it is a tinderbox with a decade without winning the Premier League and more than fifteen years without touching the Champions League.
The threat of not qualifying for the top European competition next season is a point against them and they have already made an investment in the future with their forward: Marcus Rashford, renewed, and the youngsters Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund.
In this scenario, the only big player left is Liverpool, which is the one that has been most interested in Mbappé's services in recent seasons.
The 'Reds' have already carried out a squad reconstruction, in the center of the field, with the additions of Ryan Gravenberch and
Alexis Mac Allister
, and they will have to carry out another one in June on the substitute bench, because Jürgen Klopp announced his departure.
In a club in which only three players earn more than 10 million pounds, Thiago Alcántara (12), Virgil Van Dijk (13) and Mohamed Salah (21), the owners, the FSG group, are not given to extravagant investments such as what the signing of Mbappé would mean.
For this operation to have any option, the key would be the departure of the banner, Salah, with a stunning offer from Saudi Arabia, like the one Al-Ittihad made in the last market of
150 million pounds
.
With that amount on the table, and taking into account the Egyptian's 32nd birthday this June, Liverpool could think about trying to sign Mbappé, although it would be a far cry from the additions that Liverpool have made since Klopp was here. .
Without German, it may be easier to carry it out.