Kylian Mbappe, the newly minted Real Madrid star, may have to wait a bit before he can don his preferred shirt number.
Mbappe, 25, officially joined Los Blancos on Monday, causing the club’s website to crash with the announcement. The Frenchman who let his contract at PSG run out before joining Real on a free transfer, is set to receive a staggering £85million signing-on bonus.
However, the star forward might not immediately get to wear either of his favourite squad numbers – No.7 from his PSG days or No.10 from his time with the French national team.
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At the Bernabeu, Vinicius Jr, the scorer in the Champions League final, currently sports the No.7 jersey, while the influential Modric wears No.10. It seems unlikely that either player would be willing to give up their number for Mbappe, reports the Express.
Despite Modric nearing his 39th birthday at the start of next season, he recently agreed to extend his stay in Madrid by another year following the Champions League final.
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As per Le Parisien, Mbappe will wear the No.9 shirt at Real Madrid until either No.7 or No.10 becomes available. The No.9 jersey has been unoccupied since Karim Benzema’s move to Saudi Arabia last summer.
With Luka Modric inching towards the end of his career, Mbappe might soon don the coveted 10 jersey at Real Madrid. Despite a few complications, the French player’s level of motivation remains high.
Upon confirming his move, he released an emotionally charged message on social media. “A dream come true,” alongside photos of his younger self sporting a full Real Madrid kit, he posted. “So happy and proud to join the club of my dreams, Real Madrid.”
(Image: Getty Images)
“Nobody can understand how excited I am right now. Can’t wait to see you, Madridistas, and thanks for your unbelievable support. Hala Madrid! “.
Meanwhile, Mbappe is focused on representing France in preparation for Euro 2024. The Les Bleus squad is gearing up for the big event with upcoming warm-up matches against Luxembourg on Wednesday and Canada on Sunday.