At the start of the summer transfer window, the tussle between Real Madrid and PSG for Kylian Mbappe made the headlines. Real Madrid has been chasing the French striker for quite some time, and this year – when Mbappe’s contract with PSG ran out – seemed like the perfect time for them to bring him to the city.

Just when everything seemed to fall in Madrid’s favor, Mbappe made a surprise announcement about extending his stay at the PSG. The move didn’t make sense to many, as Mbappe had publicly expressed his desire to play for the Los Blancos.

While a lot has to do with the hefty sum and position of authority PSG offered him, there were other factors that helped Mbappe arrive at this decision. Chief among them was a call from French President Emmanuel Macron.

In his interview with the New York Times, Mbappe revealed that a call from Macron made it irresistible to leave France. Macron told him to stay at the club for some time before moving out. Given that Mbappe had age on his side, he decided to renew his contract with the French club.

“I never imagined I was going to talk with the president about my future, about my future in my career, so it’s something crazy, really something crazy,” he said. “He said ‘You have time to leave, you can stay a little bit more’. Of course, when the president says that to you, that counts.”

Mbappe Keeps Real Madrid Door Open

After winning the World Cup with France four years ago, Mbappe is now counted among prominent figures in his country. For PSG, losing out on Mbappe would have ramifications extending the pitch. He is now one-third of the fearsome attacking troika, along with Lionel Messi and Neymar. The trio had a great start to the season and PSG fans are already optimistic about the Champions League dreams.

Mbappe, however, hasn’t ruled out the possibility of moving to Madrid. “You never know what is going to happen. I’ve never been there but it seems like it’s my house or something,” he added. He has already notched seven goals in five matches, and will be in action this week in the group stage of the Champions League, against Juventus.

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