Kylian Mbappe says he's 'not afraid to leave' Monaco as transfer rumors swirl
Kylian Mbappe, the belle of the ball in this summer's transfer sweepstakes, dropped a big hint about how he sees his future playing out. The 18-year-old is taking a wait-and-see approach but made it clear he's not intimidated by the prospect of a move away.
Mbappe broke onto the scene this year with a specular title-winning campaign with Monaco in Ligue 1. He matched those exploits in Monaco's surprise run to the Champions League semifinals, too.
As a result, the sharks have started to circle around Monaco in the transfer-window feeding frenzy. Chief among those teams is Real Madrid, to whom Mbappe's reported £100 million price tag is hardly of consequence. Would Mbappe entertain a move to the Spanish capital, though?
The wiry forward addressed his future while on international duty with France, saying, "there's plenty of time to think about all this," via Goal.com.
Mbappe wants to ensure his future with the national team won't be jeopardized with a move away from the principality. Having consistent playing time is an important factor in remaining in the national team picture. If he joins Real Madrid, which is having trouble finding consistent minutes for the likes of James Rodriguez, Isco and Marco Asensio, would he be the everyday starter he is at Monaco? Although, it's worth noting that those three don't feature as centrally as Mbappe would, but Karim Benzema would be tough to unseat.
"Why play less?" Mbappe said. The teenager also quelled any notion that he'd be scared to leave Monaco and take on new challenges, too. "I'll have time to reflect on that and, no, I'm not afraid to leave," he said.
Whatever the future holds for Mbappe, it's apparent he's mature beyond his years — both on the pitch and when it comes to talking business.
