Mbappe will sign for Real Madrid ‘one day or another’, says star he will likely succeed
France superstar Kylian Mbappe will become a Real Madrid player “one day or another”, according to Los Blancos forward Karim Benzema.
Mbappe, 22, continues to run down the final 10 months of his contract at the Parc de Princes.
Real Madrid’s long standing interest in Mbappe turned into two concrete offers last week.
PSG sporting director Leonardo accused Real of being “disrespectful and illegal” over their pursuit of Mbappe after publicly rejecting their first €160m bid.
Real returned late on Tuesday with a €220m (£189m) bid for Mbappe; PSG never even responded to that offer.
Instead, PSG will now likely lose the player on a free transfer next year when is current contract expires. Real Madrid are ready and waiting in the wings for that to happen.
Speaking after France’s 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday, Benzema told RTL about Real’s interest in his compatriot: “He is a player who will play for Real Madrid one day or another.”
Benzema, 33, will likely see Mbappe as his long-term successor at the Bernabeu and the pair are good friends.
“We get along really well and I would like him to be with me today in Madrid,” added Benzema.
PSG chief Leonardo publicly insisted they would not “hold back” Mbappe.
“Mbappe would like to leave, this seems clear to me,” he told French source RMC Sport. “If Real Madrid makes an offer, this seems clear to me. Me, I give a position, which I think is clear for everyone.
“We cannot change our plans in the final week of the window. If he is set on leaving, we will not hold him back, but it will be our terms.
However, PSG’s refusal to consider Madrid’s second offer has left Mbappe feeling ‘betrayed’ by PSG, claim Spanish outlet Marca (via Express).
The player was hoping an agreement would be reached before 11pm on deadline day, although it never arrived.
Who won the transfer window? Aston Villa? Man Utd? Daniel Levy?…
France held in Paris
The pair lined up together in a three-man France attack, alongside Antoine Griezmann. And it was the latter who earned Les Bleus a point three minutes after Edin Dzeko’s 36th-minute strike had put the visitors ahead.
“We would have liked to win this match there, in France, in front of our audience,” said Benzema. “In the first half we made good moves, in the second half, with the red card, we fell back a little, which is normal when we play one less.
“Fortunately, the public can’t wait to see us, to be the 12th man on the pitch as they say.”
READ MORE: PSG opened talks with Mbappe replacement following second Madrid bid
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