Transfer Centre

Kylian Mbappe: 'I will not be forced to leave AS Monaco'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 23 May 2017

AS Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe stresses that any decision over his future will be made by himself, rather than being "forced" out of the club by others.

Kylian Mbappe has again moved to play down suggestions that he is heading for a record move to Real Madrid, insisting that he will be the one to decide when his time at AS Monaco is over.

The 18-year-old is coming off the back of a hugely impressive breakthrough campaign that saw him net 15 times in Ligue 1, helping the principality club to their first top-flight crown in 17 years.

There were strong suggestions at the weekend that Madrid had tabled a mammoth £103m offer for Mbappe, but the young Frenchman is more concerned about playing regularly than joining arguably the world's most esteemed club.

"I will make a choice based on my sporting career, and my career is first and foremost," he told beIN SPORTS when asked to comment on the speculation. "I am at an age where I need to play, and that will be paramount.

"I'm not 35 or 36, an age where I have to manage [my body]. I still have everything to learn - this year was discovery, and now comes the most important step: confirmation. I will be the sole decision-maker, and I will not go anywhere where I will be forced to go."

As well as being named as Ligue 1's Young Player of the Year, Mbappe also impressed on the continental stage by netting in five of Monaco's six Champions League knockout ties.