Kylian Mbappe: Why Barcelona Opted Not to Sign French Star in 2017 Despite Being Able to Do So

• Kylian Mbappe was keen on a move to Barcelona and the club were keen on signing him
• The Catalans had money to burn after they sold Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017
• Mbappe decided to leave AS Monaco for PSG after Barcelona signed another Frenchman

Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe was in Barcelona on holiday recently, sparking hopes that he could snub Real Madrid for their rivals.

While that isn’t the case, there was a stage when the Frenchman could have run out in the colours of the Catalan side.

As noted by PSG Talk, a Spanish journalist revealed that the World Cup winner was wanted by the La Liga side in 2017.

How Barcelona planned to buy Mbappe

With Barca pocketing €222 million from Neymar’s sale to the French side, they were looking for a suitable replacement.

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With enough money to buy anyone they wanted, the current France skipper was seen as a viable option.

Mbappe, who was still an AS Monaco player then, was reportedly keen on the move as well.

Why didn’t Barca sign Mbappe?

Despite the interest from both parties, a move never materialised, and the Frenchman went on to join PSG instead.

Barca opted to sign Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund, believing him to be a more viable option.

How Dembele fared at Barca

Dembele’s move to Spain didn’t reap the rewards many hoped it would.

The winger only made 180 appearances for the side, scoring just 40 goals. His spell with the Catalan side was primarily affected by injuries. He has since joined PSG as well.

Mbappe has made 292 appearances for his French side, scoring a massive 244 goals, leaving many Barca fans to wonder what could have been.

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Why Mbappe was spotted in Barcelona

With Mbappe deciding to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, many fans are curious about where he will go next.

Barcelona’s supporters were given more reason to be excited when the French superstar was spotted at the airport in their area.

Sports Brief has also reported that Mbappe was spotted in Barcelona along with Achraf Hakimi for some time away from France.