French President Emmanuel Macron Intervened Behind Kylian Mbappe's Decision To Reject Real Madrid And Stay At PSG

PSG's Kylian Mbappe. (Photo: Twitter @PSG_Inside)

JAKARTA - Kylian Mbappe's decision to stay at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was apparently not made alone. French President Emmanuel Macron also gave input.

Mbappe recently refused to move to Real Madrid and opted to sign a new three-year contract with PSG last weekend. He made the decision after speaking one-on-one with Macron.

"We spoke. You could say that it was a good suggestion. He wanted me to stay, that was part of the negotiations," Mbappe said, as quoted by AFP.

Mbappe said Macron was one of the few people he spoke to about his future.

"That's when you see that football has changed and has an important place in society. It's also important to know how to stay where it is despite the important things that can be given to me in this country," he said.

Many suspect Mbappe's decision to stay with Les Parisien because of money. Reportedly the former AS Monaco player gets a bonus worth trillions of contract extensions and an exorbitant annual salary.

In addition, he is also reportedly given special privileges, including transfer policies at the club. However, this was denied by the player.

"I am still a footballer, who is part of the team, and I will not go beyond this role. I will not go beyond my role as a player," he said.

"Everyone knows that last year, I wanted to leave and I was sure it was the best option, but the years passed and things changed," he explained.