Comparing Kylian Mbappe’s Transfer Saga to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid Move From Man Utd in 2009

• Kylian Mbappe has told Paris Saint-Germain that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season
• The Frenchman has been linked with a move to Spanish giants, Real Madrid, several times in the past
• Cristiano Ronaldo also had a protracted transfer saga before leaving Manchester United for Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappe is moving on.

The Frenchman has told Paris Saint-Germain that he will be leaving the French club at the end of the season, with rumours of a summer move to Real Madrid now intensifying.

Sports Brief compares Mbappe's protracted transfer saga to Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Real Madrid from Manchester United back in 2009.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid transfer saga

Ronaldo's transfer saga rumbled for a year before he completed his blockbuster move to Real Madrid in 2009.

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Spanish tabloid, Marca first reported that the Portuguese star would play for Los Blancos on May 21, 2008, one day before the Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea, per Bleacher Report.

However, Ronaldo stated his desire to stay with the Red Devils following their win over the Blues in Moscow.

The rumours of the star moving to Real Madrid would not go away, though, with Man United filing a tampering charge to FIFA on June 9, 2008, over the Spanish giants' alleged pursuit of the football star.

Football's governing body issued a ruling a week later, saying there were no tampering charges to report by the La Liga club over their pursuit of the Portuguese ace.

Ronaldo then dropped a bombshell on July 10, announcing after his ankle surgery in Amsterdam that moving to Real Madrid would be best for his career.

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Sir Alex Ferguson held emergency talks with CR7 days later in Lisbon, with both parties agreeing he would stay with Manchester United for at least the 2008-09 season.

Ferguson confirmed that development in a media briefing on August 5, saying Ronaldo would be staying with the club for at least the next year and declaring the Real Madrid saga as over.

Transfer rumours heated up once again in December, with Spanish newspaper, El Mundo, reporting that Ronaldo would join Real Madrid at the end of the 2008-09 season, claiming the parties had both agreed to this deal secretly.

That report didn't sit well with Ferguson, who said he wouldn't get into a contract with 'that mob' and that he wouldn't sell Real Madrid a virus.

The La Liga giants would not go away, though, with a Real Madrid director revealing on January 13, 2009, that Ronaldo would join the club the following season with then club president, Ramon Calderon, having already agreeing to the transfer.

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Florentino Perez became president of Real Madrid for a third time on June 1, and he promised the fans that he would sign Kaka and Ronaldo.

After landing the Brazilian in a €56 million deal with AC Milan, Perez lodged an €80mil offer to United for Ronaldo on June 10.

Manchester United Chief Executive, David Gill, decided to accept Real Madrid's offer the following day, bringing to an end Ronaldo's transfer saga.

Mbappe's Real Madrid transfer timeline

Kylian Mbappe was first linked with a move to Real Madrid back in the 2016-17 season when he burst onto the scene for Monaco, per 90min.

He led Monaco to the Ligue 1 title that season, scoring 15 goals. He also had six goals in the Champions League, helping his club reach the semi-finals.

Reports surfaced that Real Madrid had agreed a deal with Monaco for the youngster worth at least €160mil. The French club refuted those reports, saying no deal had been struck.

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Paris Saint-Germain swooped in and beat Real to Mbappe's services, acquiring the Frenchman in a deal worth €180mil. They wrapped up the deal at the end of the 2017 summer transfer window, dealing a blow to the Spanish giants.

Real Madrid renewed their interest in the football star in April 2021, with Perez promising fans Mbappe's arrival.

That didn't sit well with PSG president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who claimed in June 2021 that Mbappe was not for sale. Real Madrid refused to go away, offering €160mil to PSG in August 2021 to acquire Mbappe's services.

Surprisingly, the France captain didn't join Real Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the 2021-22 season as many have expected. Instead, he extended his contract with PSG until 2025, signing the deal in May 2022.

Mbappe got Real's attention again in June 2023 when he told PSG that he would not trigger a one-year extension clause in his contract.

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That opened the possibility of the forward leaving PSG in the summer of 2024, a development he confirmed on Thursday.

Real Madrid's lethal attack with Mbappe

Sports Brief recently reported on Real Madrid's possible lineup with Mbappe if he signs with the club.

Joining the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner in attack would be aces, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.

The French international has scored 243 goals in 290 appearances for PSG and could make an impact.