2018 FIFA World Cup winner, Kylian Mbappe, who has been rumoured to join Spanish giants Real Madrid since the return of France star Zinedine Zidane, has been handed a 74 million shilllings (£153,000) fine by Paris Saint-Germain after the Frenchman arrived late to a team meeting, according to Spanish newspaper AS.
The penalty relates to a meeting held before the Ligue 1 home clash with Marseille on October 28, where Mbappe and Adrien Rabiot were deemed to be in breach of club conduct. Both players have been fined equally and are understood to be fully aware of their poor conduct.
Mbappe has signed a written document to acknowledge his wrongdoing, with the funds being sent directly to the PSG foundation.
Real Madrid are playing close attention to the situation, knowing that any disagreement would increase the likelihood of the striker making a move to the Bernabeu.
So buoyed by succeeding in bringing back Zidane, club president Florentino Perez was uncharacteristically forthright about the club’s possible pursuit of Mbappe.
Asked if signing Mbappe now became easier because he had Zinedine Zidane at the helm he joked with reporters on Monday night: ‘Zidane is French he can maybe do something’.
And asked if he preferred Mbappe or Neymar he said: ‘I would say both’.
Madrid know that their chances of getting Mbappe – the jewel in PSG’s crown – are very slim and that Neymar will cost the same 222m euros (£190m) he cost PSG two seasons ago.