Football’s biggest open secret has finally been exposed as Real Madrid have announced the signing of Kylian Mbappé.
The Frenchman who is preparing to lead his national team to the 2024 UEFA European Championship and claim the only senior national team title he is yet to claim, has also acknowledged the announcement on his social media platforms.
“A dream come true. So happy and proud to join the club of my dreams, Real Madrid,” he said. “Nobody can understand how excited I am right now. Can’t wait to see you, Madridistas, and thanks for your unbelievable support. Hala Madrid!”
The signing did not surprise anyone but a lot of reactions have trailed the announcement. Here are some of them.
Spanish football journalist Semra Hunter said: “There’s a bit of a collective sigh of relief that finally it’s over. They are finally coming together and hopefully it will be a harmonious union between Mbappe and Real Madrid.”
“This saga has rumbled on for so long now that every single summer it was all about: ‘Here we go again, is this finally the summer he is going to come?”
“Everybody knew it was inevitable that Mbappe was coming to Real Madrid. It was just a matter of when.”
“But there is also a little bit of apprehension about this deal because it was such a big blow in 2022, when Real really thought he was coming, but he decided to snub them and stay in Paris.”
“It left a lot of Madridistas very broken-hearted, disappointed and angry – even people at the club as well.”
French football journalist Jonathan Johnson spoke to Sky Sports News on the transfer. “I don’t think it gets much better for Real Madrid at this moment in time,” Johnson said. “LaLiga champions, Champions League winners for a record 15th time and now just a casual Monday flex of being able to announce the signing of Kylian Mbappe. A really big few days for the Spanish giants.”
“It’s quite a terrifying prospect for the rest of Europe and clubs who want to challenge the supremacy of Los Blancos. Certainly from a French point of view, it was coming for some time. There had to be a conclusion to this saga, it had dragged on when people thought it couldn’t drag on any more.”
“There was disappointment at PSG initially when Mbappe revealed he wanted to move to Real Madrid. But at the same time, there is a recognition that it was the best thing for the player, potentially for the club and even the league as well. Ligue 1 can step out of Mbappe’s shadow and strike out on its own. We will see what the next couple of years have in store.”
In Italy, meanwhile, there is apprehension over how Carlo Ancelotti will be able to handle the big names in his squad.
Italian mews outlet La Gazzetta believe that the Frenchman’s arrival could cause a tactical headache for Ancelotti because of the potential clash with the team’s biggest draw, Vinicius Jr..
They highlighted the two main formations that Madrid used in 2023-24: the 4-3-3 with Rodrygo on the right and Vinicius Jr on the left, and the 4-3-1-2 with Rodrygo and Vinicius up top while Jude Bellingham played behind them.
If Ancelotti chooses to use this formation next season, it could spell problems for both Rodrygo and Bellingham, as one of them will be forced to the bench or to limited appearances.
