Money always wins. Even Barça, which had fortunes years ago and now lives in misery, and Madrid, which boasts of being the most important and financially robust club in the world. The money from Qatar, deposited for five years in Paris to shake up the old and outdated structures of the old football, shows it whenever it wants.
In 2017 it started neymar of the Camp Nou executing the highest clause in the history of this sport (222 million euros), signing a check never seen before. In 2021, when Messi He was crying inconsolably because he wanted to stay at Barça and there wasn’t a single euro in the box, the Qatari money also appeared to take him to the Parc des Princes.
Now, spring 2022, “the non-transfer of the century” has just taken place, as Jean-Philippe Leclaire wrote in the French newspaper L’Equipe. Mbappe he leaves Madrid stranded and Florentino unarmed because he prefers to continue in Paris SG. Summer hasn’t started yet and the two stars have already chosen their destination: Haaland is leaving with Guardiola and Mbappé hasn’t moved from Paris.
In five years, Barça and Madrid have discovered that they are no longer what they used to be. At least, in the economic chapter. Nor in the sporting seduction that they can exert on future stars, captured by the power of state clubs, such as PSG (Qatar) or Manchester City (Abu Dhabi).
Bartomeu, for example, didn’t even know that they were taking Neymar away from him. He did not find out about such a lavish operation (he is the most expensive player in the world) and later, already dressed in the Parisian jacket, when he wanted to recruit him he saw that he had no liquidity (he had wasted the fortune received) nor the ability to excite him with a sports project.
Five years later, and after months of not at all stealthy courtship, Florentino feels the same frustration as the former Barça president. In the summer of 2021 he offered up to 200 million for a player who was released a season later.
Qatar did not even value that huge offer. So that? Money is not the important thing. Now, with the striker owning his destiny since last January, with the legal capacity to sign for whoever he wanted and whenever he wanted, he eluded any written agreement with Madrid, which left Florentino stuck with a verbal commitment.
But the white president should know that words have no value when it comes to business of this dimension, which places Mbappe (23 years old, five seasons already at PSG, 171 goals scored in all competitions) at the top of the highest paid in history. Now there is the salary of Messi, Neymar, Cristiano or Haaland himself with City on the ground due to the galactic figures that the Frenchman will receive until 2025.
A transfer bonus of 130 million euros, in addition to an annual tax-free token, above 60 million. In other words, globally, and without counting advertising agreements, Mbappe will charge 40% more than any of those megastars of the past (Leo, Neymar or CR7) and those who come for the future (Erling).
“I am also delighted to continue playing in France, the country where I was born, grew up and made my name. Together with PSG, and with ambition, we will make magic”
Mbappe, PSG player
Qatar has gotten away with it. He wins on the field, dominates dictatorially in France, but crashes in Europe, unable as he has been until now to win a Champions League. And Mbappé, Parisian as he is, was born in the suburb of Bondy (Seine-Saint-Denis), he has avoided the route that he traced kopa, who did go to Madrid (1956), or the one starring Platini (1982) and Zidane (1997), both on the way to Juventus although at very different times. Zizou ended later (2001) dressed in white, a shirt that he has not wanted, for the moment, to wear Mbappé. “I am also delighted to continue playing in France, the country where I was born, grew up and have made my name”, stressed the striker who has said no to Madrid.
And he has told him no, among other reasons because a country, and it is not only France, could not afford that the flag of his club leave six months before hosting the World Cup. Qatar has power and money for everything.
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To take Neymar away thus initiating chaos at Barça, chaos that is still going on, to later give shelter to Messi, who never wanted to leave his home at the Camp Nou, and to give Mbappe everything that Madrid couldn’t give him. “I would like to thank President Nasser Al-Kehlaïfi for his trust, his understanding and his patience. Together, and with ambition, we will make magic in Paris,” Mbappé proclaimed.
“By committing to PSG, Kylian will be the foundation for our club’s future, both on and off the pitch.”
Al-Khelaïfi, president of PSG
“By committing to PSG, Kylian will be the foundation of our club’s future, both on and off the pitch. For our fans and our club, the biggest chapters of our future are yet to come,” said Al Khelaïfi, the executor of the plans of a country that has a club without much history (it was founded in 1970), capable of overthrowing Madrid and Barça.