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Real blockbuster: Kylian Mbappe leaving PSG for Madrid
Kylian Mbappe Just Pictures

Real blockbuster: Kylian Mbappe leaving PSG for Madrid

Kylian Mbappé’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires this summer. He’s already found a new home.

According to Le Parisien, the 25-year-old superstar has agreed to terms with Real Madrid, and will officially announce his move next week. The Spanish club has been courting the French international for years, including a proposed move that fell through in 2022.

While generally a star like Mbappé would seek to max out his earnings, he’s actually taking a pay cut to play for Real Madrid, his favorite childhood team.

Mbappé grew up idolizing players like Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo, which may be why he’s reportedly turning down a raise to stay with PSG, plus additional bonuses, for a salary that’s roughly half of what he was making with his old team.

He’s one of the best players in the world, scoring a goal in the World Cup Final win in 2018 as a teenager, then winning the Golden Boot and scoring a hat trick when France lost in the final in 2022. Mbappé has been the top scorer in French Ligue 1 five different times and won Player of the Year a record four times.

The only sticking point, besides the recent history of this move falling through, is Mbappé’s desire to play soccer in the Paris Olympics this summer. But all indications are that Real, who made Mbappé a contract offer last month, has finally landed the player they’ve pursued for so long.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

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