The Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid transfer as a free agent when his contract with PSG expires in the summer of 2024 has become an open secret. But a former member of the Bernabeu has gone a step further by revealing that Mbappe will take the number 10 shirt currently worn by Luka Modric.
“I will provide you with detailed information! It was a crazy moment in my life! I played for the first team, and the club knew I had to be sold. So when Zizou called me, I was swamped, and at first, I didn’t even realize it was him,” Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said in June 2022 when the French forward “flipped” to stay at PSG. At that time, everyone thought that the door to Real Madrid had closed for this player. But nearly a year later, Perez made a completely opposite statement.
When asked by a fan if he would sign a contract with Mbappe earlier this June, the head of Los Blancos admitted: “Yes, but not this year.” The user with the Twitter account Soymadr7dismo then posted this clip on social media, which quickly went viral. Thus, Mbappe’s arrival at Bernabeu in the summer of 2024 has become an “open secret.”
PSG had to compromise with the 24-year-old forward. After threatening to remove Mbappe from the first team if he did not extend his contract or leave this summer, club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi of the French club ultimately had to back down. The two sides sat down for negotiations, and according to L’Equipe, PSG agreed to let the French international leave when his contract expires in exchange for him waiving a €100 million loyalty bonus.
Recently, a former Real Madrid goalkeeper, Paco Buyo, revealed some exciting news in the El Chiringuito program on Mega TV. He stated: “Next season, Mbappe will wear the number 10 shirt for Real Madrid.”
The French forward will not continue to wear the number 7 shirt as he did at PSG, as it currently belongs to Vinicius Junior. Instead, he will wear the number 10, as he does with the French national team. Unless he chooses another number, this marks the end for Luka Modric. Next season, the Croatian midfielder will turn 39, and this season, he is not getting regular playing time.
Therefore, the most likely scenario in the summer of 2024 is that Mbappe officially joins Real Madrid and wears the number 10 of a superstar. Meanwhile, Modric will say goodbye to Real Madrid. The veteran has stated more than once that he will only extend his contract when he proves he deserves it or still can compete for a place.
“The number 10” in trouble
Not every player who wore the number 10 shirt was successful at Real Madrid. In the past, this shirt belonged to legends like Ferenc Puskas, Michael Laudrup, Clarence Seedorf, and Luis Figo. However, number 10 has also been given to a defensive midfielder, Lassana Diarra. It was abruptly taken from Mesut Ozil, and it was also assigned to James Rodriguez, who did not live up to expectations.
