Aurelien Tchouameni has revealed that Kylian Mbappe asked him to sign for Paris Saint-Germain – before he joined Real Madrid.
Mbappe famously rejected the Champions League winners last month when putting pen to paper on a new three-year stay with PSG.
His French teammate Tchouameni decided to go against the striker’s advice and listen to Real stars Karim Benzema and Eduoardo Camavainga, who talked up life in Madrid.
“Kylian decided to stay at PSG and already knew I was going to leave Monaco,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
“Mbappe spoke to me, and asked me if I could come to Paris. But I told him I wanted to join Real Madrid, my choice was always Madrid. He understood my decision, he’s happy for me.”
“I was lucky enough to talk to Benzema and Camavinga,” he added.
“In the case of Camavinga, we have seen how he has improved in his first year and I am going to be lucky enough to play for the club with the best striker in the world. When the negotiations progressed, he messaged me and asked if there was any way he could help me.”
Real have paid an initial £69million for Tchouameni, 22, in a deal with Monaco that could reach £85m. Once the LaLiga giants’ interest emerged, he says his mind was made up.
“Before the Champions League final we had already started negotiations with Madrid,” he continued.
“When I watched the games against PSG and [Manchester] City I wrote to my agent and told him, ‘Do everything possible to get me there, please’.”
