By Jude Summerfield
Champions League winners Real Madrid have confirmed the signing of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.
The France captain announced in May he would leave PSG at the end of his seventh season with the club, becoming their all-time top goalscorer with 256 strikes.
The 25-year-old has been a long-term target for Los Blancos, who downed Borussia Dortmund to win their 15th Champions League title on Saturday night, and news broke of a total agreement between the two parties on Sunday.
Mbappe let slip in a brief meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron the deal would be announced on Monday night and the official confirmation has now arrived with a five-year deal signed.
It concludes a dizzying transfer saga that had looked set to end in 2022 before Mbappe signed a new contract with PSG. However, it emerged a year later he would not pen another extension and the forward was subsequently excluded from the club's pre-season tour of Japan.
Mbappe was reintegrated into the squad following talks with the club and scored 44 goals in all competitions in his final season in Paris, falling to Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals but winning a seventh Ligue 1 title overall.
WHERE WILL KYLIAN MBAPPE FIT IN AT REAL MADRID?
The 2018 World Cup winner will join an extremely stacked Madrid squad already fulfilling its potential. Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham enjoyed wondrous 2023/24 campaigns and have support in attack from Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz, Arda Guler and the incoming Brazilian sensation Endrick.
Madrid boast a defence that includes goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois behind options like Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba and Eder Militao and are just as strong in central midfield, where stars like Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Luka Modric and Aurelien Tchouameni regularly run games.
The La Liga holders are now without club legend Toni Kroos, who has announced his intention to retire after playing at Euro 2024 for Germany.
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This article was originally published on 90min.com as Real Madrid confirm signing of Kylian Mbappe.
