Mbappé: ‘I wanted to stay in France’

Paris, May 23 (EFE).- Kylian Mbappé decided to extend his contract with Paris Saint-Germain because he wanted to stay in France, the striker said Monday.

At a press conference in Paris, the French superstar said he been convinced by PSG’s project and vision that would enable him to win more titles, insisting that he barely discussed financial details with the club amid reports that he has received a 150-million euro signing on fee in addition to his salary.

“I am from France, a country where I want to live, grow old, settle at the end of my career,” the 23-year-old said during his first media appearance since announcing that he was staying at the club.

“There was also a sentimental side,” he added.

Mbappé admitted that he had wanted to join Real Madrid last summer, but now “the context is different”, both in sporting terms and “in private”.

“The sporting project has changed, the club wants to change things and I believe that my story here is not over, that there are still chapters that I want to write,” he said.

Despite receiving sporting guarantees, he said his role at the club is not going to change, insisting that he would never go beyond his role as a football player.

Although he had made up his mind last week, he only informed Real Madrid’s president Florentino Pérez of his decision on Saturday as the PSG asked him not to announce his decision – not even to his teammates – until the game against Metz.

Mbappe also sent a message to the Madrid fans: “I understand the disappointment, I hope they understand that I wanted to stay in my country, because I am French and as a Frenchman, I want to continue a little longer to lead France to the top and bring the club and the league forward”. EFE

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