Kylian Mbappé is the great goal of Real Madrid for next summer. But nevertheless, the story could have been very different if Barcelona had pulled the trigger in 2017 and he would have launched the hiring of the, at that time, Monaco promise. That summer, Neymar was shaking the soccer planet with his march to PSG, 222 million euros through, and with fresh money, the Blaugrana technical secretariat, headed by Robert Fernández, had a shot at the great white desire in exchange for 100 million euros, as Javier Bordás, former Barça director between 2010 and 2020, has told in an interview for Sports world.
Here the explanation: “When we were to sign Dembélé Minguella called me to tell us that Mbappé was within reach. I spoke with Bartomeu and he told me to look at him. I called his father and he told me he was not going to Madrid because Cristiano, Benzema and Bale were there and instead he could go to Barça because Neymar was not there. The president of Monaco preferred that he went to Barça so as not to reinforce PSG, a direct rival. And for 100 million it could have been done. But Robert preferred Dembélé and Pep Segura supported him. The explanation was that Mbappé plays for him and Dembélé plays for the team. And since a winger like Ney left, Robert preferred a winger more than a finisher “.
Once the future is known, it is easy to judge the past. The careers of both protagonists have been opposite since 2017. While the Barcelona player has failed to respond to the powerful monetary bet made, between physical problems, performance and episodes beyond the pitch, the PSG player has been crowned as the greatest heir to the throne of world football that, before or later, Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will leave vacant.
Lime and sand
However, the Dembélé that arrived at Can Barça was one of the brightest diamonds on the continent. In the 2016-17 season, from 19 to 20 years of age, he played 49 games, in which he accumulated flashy statistics: 10 goals and 21 assists. In addition to all kinds of dribbles that were the ones that would end up captivating the Barça technical secretariat. Since then, some green outbreak, but more shadows (injuries) than lights in the 82 games played with the elastic Blaugrana (22 goals and 17 assists).
Words are unnecessary about Mbappé and his 97 goals and 58 assists, in 132 games, with PSG they speak for themselves. The Parisian team is immersed in a process of renovating its stars that is not easy (both Neymar and the French end their contract in 2022), a process that Real Madrid does not take their eyes off. Be that as it may, the transfer that Bordás comments will remain with one of the great 'and sis' of modern football.