By Fernando Kallas
MADRID (Reuters) – France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said on Tuesday Kylian Mbappe tried in vain to convince him to reject Real Madrid’s offer and join him at Paris St Germain instead.
The 22-year-old ended up signing a six-year deal with the LaLiga and European champions, who reportedly paid a fee of 80 million euros ($83.65 million) with another 20 million in add-ons to AS Monaco at the weekend.
After months of negotiations with Real, PSG forward Mbappe ended up signing a three year extension with the Ligue 1 champions.
“Kylian decided to stay in Paris and called me knowing that I would surely leave Monaco,” Tchouameni told a news conference as he was unveiled as a Real player.
“But I told him right away that my first option was Real Madrid and he understood perfectly. I get to be at the best club in the world and I’m not afraid of the competition. I must demonstrate my quality and I really look forward to it.”
Capable of playing both as a defensive and centre midfielder, Tchouameni will strengthen a stellar but ageing Real Madrid midfield led by Luka Modric, 36, Toni Kroos 32, and Casemiro, 30.
Named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year in 2020-21 after joining Monaco from Bordeaux, Tchouameni was in high demand, with Liverpool also bidding to sign him.
“Today a magnificent soccer player arrives at our club; we welcome one of the best midfielders in the world,” Real president Florentino Perez said.
Tchouameni will join fellow France midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, 19, who signed for Real in August last year from Stade Rennais in a deal worth up to 40 million euros.
He said that he also received a phone call from another France team mate, Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema, and that he had helped his decision.
“Benzema is the best player in the world and when the negotiations were advancing with Real he wrote to me to offer his help and tell me about the club. We later talked and it was all great,” Tchouameni said.
The midfielder made 50 appearances for Monaco in all competitions in 2021-22, with five goals and three assists, and was nominated for the Ligue 1 Team of the Year.
($1 = 0.9564 euros)
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
