Kylian Mbappe: 'Can't wait' for new club after PSG exit

Posted Friday, May 31, 2024 by ESPN

Kylian Mbappe has said he "can't wait" to sign for his next club after seven years at Paris Saint-Germain.

The France forward has not revealed where he will play next, although he is widely expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer after his PSG contract expires.

"It's going to be an amazing experience and I can't wait to be in my new club," Mbappe told CNN Sport. "I will leave my country [for another league] for the first time.

"I want to win trophies... When you speak about football, [it's about] winning trophies, being with new teammates. Now, I have my contract with PSG ... Everybody knows that it's soon finishing and we're going to see what happens."

Mbappe, who was named European Player of the Year in Tuesday's Globe Soccer Awards European edition, came close to joining Madrid two years ago.

Kylian Mbappe is expected to join Real Madrid this summer.

However, Mbappe had a late change of heart and signed a new contract with PSG until June 2024, a decision he said he does not regret.

"It was more than just staying at PSG," he said. "It was the World Cup in Qatar. It was many things around these things. It was a big decision, difficult decision ... but I don't regret anything.

"Of course, in a career, you have to take difficult decisions and it's what I did, but I became the all-time top scorer with PSG. I just want to remember the best things ... It was not an easy situation and I wish nobody to live that."

Asked if he will be cheering on Madrid when the Spanish champions take on Borussia Dortmund in Saturday's Champions League final at Wembley Stadium, Mbappe smiled and said: "No. I'll just watch the final like you. When you love football, you watch every game. I watch every game when I can ... in France, England, Spain, Germany, Italy, every league. So, of course, I'm going to watch the Champions League."

Mbappe will soon link up with the France squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament in Germany.

He is eager to add a European Championship title to his already sparkling international career.

"I have a lot of things to give to football," Mbappe said. "I've done many things, but I'm still young and I want to do more ... I want to put my name in the history of football.

"I just watch what I have in the future, and I want to really improve my game, to be a better player every year and to be the player who I want to be."