Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid Move Compared With Cristiano Ronaldo’s Signing After Official PSG Exit

Kylian Mbappe has made things pretty clear by officially announcing his PSG exit. The Frenchman will leave the club in the summer, with Real Madrid looking like the most likely destination for the star striker. Los Blancos and Mbappe have been linked with each other for almost 3 seasons, and it seems Florentino Perez is finally getting his man.

Mbappe’s potential move has already got the world talking, with many comparing him to Cristiano Ronaldo joining Real Madrid in 2009. However, ESPN’s Dan Thomas and Alex Kirkland believe the Frenchman’s move is nowhere close to Cristiano. On the latest episode of ESPN’s Daily Recap,

Thomas stated, “What’s interesting is this Ronaldo comparison. When Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in 2009, they [Real Madrid] had not won the Champions League since 2002. Kylian Mbappe is coming to a side that has already won the La Liga and is the favorite to win the Champions League. So It’s not that kind of savior narrative.”

Kirkland seemingly agreed with the view as he added, “Right now the debate is who needs who more. Does Kylian Mbappe need this move? Does he need to leave PSG to join Real Madrid, the most successful club in the history of Europe. The club has won the Champions League 5 times in the last decade, whereas PSG has won none. Right now Kylian Mbappe needs the club more than they do, and that’s a turnaround from last season.”

Despite the harsh words, Kylian Mbappe will surely add quality to an already solid Real Madrid side. However, it will be interesting if the player agrees to play as a number nine or demands playing in a more natural from the left position following his move to Santiago Bernabeu.

Will Kylian Mbappe’s arrival mark the end of Rodrygo’s time at Real Madrid?

Though this seems like a senseless question at first sight, there is a heavy chance that Kylian Mbappe could be allowed to operate left. While the ideal move for the team would have the player feature as a number 9, Mbappe time and again has expressed his desire to play from the flanks. As Vinicius Jr will be untouchable at Real Madrid, Rodrygo could be required to drop his place in the starting eleven to Mbappe if he plays on the wings.

With how Rodrygo has been performing, it’s unlikely the player would accept a bench role. In this situation, the player could look for a move away from the club in search of regular playtime. According to reports, certain English clubs have already enquired about the player’s status ahead of the upcoming transfer window. While the move is unlikely to happen, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for both Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo.