Losing Mbappe would be a huge blow for PSG – Jardim

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Paris Saint-Germain must do everything in their power to keep Kylian Mbappe, former Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim says.

The Portuguese was the man who gave Mbappe his debut with the principality side and provided his springboard to stardom.

Under Jardim, Monaco stormed to the 2017 Ligue 1 title, shocking PSG in the process. That same season, they reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, whereupon they stumbled against Juventus.

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The Serie A champions are one of the clubs credited with an interest in the 2018 World Cup winner, whose future at PSG is uncertain.

Mbappe’s deal is up in 2022 and talks have stalled over a new deal. If no contract is signed before the summer, he could be sold. Real Madrid are the leading candidates for his signature while Liverpool have also taken an interest.

‘Mbappe was a jewel’

Jardim believes that PSG have to fight to keep a special talent.

“If Juventus or any other club were to sign him, it would certainly be a tremendous blow,” he told TuttoJuve. “In the future, he will certainly be among the candidates to win the Ballon d’Or.

“In the five and a half years I worked at Monaco, there were many talented young players who started their careers – Anthony Martial, Yannick Ferrero-Carrasco, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy, Fabinho and many others.

“The jewel was definitely Mbappe. You could already see that he had something extra.”

Mbappe was only 16 when he was handed his debut by Monaco and he became their youngest ever scorer when he netted in a 3-1 win over Troyes.

After helping the principality side to the league title, he made a move worth £160 million (€180m), including bonuses to PSG.

Within a year, he was a world champion and is Ligue 1’s leading scorer in back-to-back seasons.

A fan of Cristiano Ronaldo since childhood, he has never hidden his desire to one day join Real Madrid. Reports suggest, however, that if he believes PSG can remain competitive in the Champions League, he could stay at his hometown side.