Kylian Mbappe will undoubtedly score a ton of goals for Real Madrid; there’s really no stopping him.
Even though his salary and bonuses will be lavish, no one could blame the LaLiga powerhouses for signing the likely best player in the world for no transfer fee.
Yet the Frenchman’s rumored next move might not be as ideal as it first appears for a few reasons.
We presented the case for Mbappe at the Bernabeu not working out ahead of France’s friendly with Germany on Saturday.
Inaccurate timing
That Mbappe wasn’t always Paris Saint-Germain’s undisputed star attraction was cited as a factor in his ongoing discontent with the team.
Arranging Neymar and Lionel Messi in a front three may seem ideal on paper, but in practice, it has led to animosity and clumsy plays.
But these days, Mbappe has outlasted his once-famous peers in the French capital and has a lot of power behind the scenes as well.
It seems like an odd moment to walk from a club that bows before him to one that boasts global superstars Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior among its membership.
A strange fit
Mbappe is going to have to contend with not only the competition from other possible Ballon d’Or winners but also with the fact that he has to play a position he does not even want to?
With Vinicius and Rodrygo completing a front three, the position of No. 9 is clearly open in Real Madrid’s lineup.
To play alongside Olivier Giroud with the France national team rather than down the middle for PSG, the 25-year-old has, however, previously stated that he prefers to operate from the left.
In 2022, he stated: “I play differently with France because I have a lot more freedom.” I can float around on a No9.”
While he is signing with a Madrid team where he will undoubtedly be required to lead the line, his current club has now brought in Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos to do that exact job.
The effect of knock-on
Although the front three of Rodrygo, Vinicius, and Mbappe appear dangerous and most likely will be, this represents a change in Real Madrid’s path to success this season.
Under Carlo Ancelotti’s current preferred system, Bellingham plays as a false nine alongside a midfield trio, meaning that at least one of the front three moves towards the ball to help control the game.
When Mbappe is positioned up front and the Englishman is positioned deeper, the attack will be more direct and quick, but there will be less of a numerical advantage to seize control of the game.
It might lead to even more end-to-end play from Madrid, which is, of course, the kind of game they would typically win.
It may also be unrealistic to expect Real Madrid’s new acquisition to be well-liked by everyone in Madrid.
Mbappe’s last-minute refusal to sign with the team in 2022, which led to taunts directed at him during the Champions League final victory parade, is a memory that the Madrid supporters will cherish.
Players like Bellingham and other lesser-known players who dedicate themselves to the team are far more likely to win over the dramatic fan base.
Star player Gareth Bale, for example, was never universally adored; Mbappe, who has already agitated Los Blancos, may suffer the same fate should the depressing news cycle that surrounds him persist.