PSG: Mbappé fails Saudi Arabia, Thierry Henry is jubilant

Before recruiting Neymar, Al-Hilal dreamed of bringing in other stars. After trying its luck in vain for Lionel Messi, the Saudi club was ready to make a big splash to recruit Kylian Mbappé, who was at that time sidelined at PSG. While there was talk of an insane salary for the French international, the response was negative. Mbappé did not join Saudi Arabia, to the great happiness of Thierry Henry.

This summer, the transfer window was driven by the case Kylian Mbappé. Not wanting to extend PSG until 2025, the Frenchman found himself sidelined and the capital club was ready to part ways. While we then expected a transfer of Mbappé au Real Madrid, Saudi Arabia has put its two cents into this matter. Indeed, Al-Hilal would have made a stratospheric offer to Kylian Mbappé and at PSG to complete this transfer. But on the contrary of Cristiano Ronaldo or more recently Neymarthe 2018 world champion did not give in to the lure of Saudi Arabia.

PSG faces an unexpected problem https://t.co/sMLxruOWeJ pic.twitter.com/cxthfAbJeV

— le10sport (@le10sport) September 21, 2023

“If Kylian had left, it would have been a little different”

And there is someone who is very happy with this “no” from Kylian Mbappé to Saudi Arabia, it is Thierry Henry. Indeed, on the set of CBSthe coach of theFrench Espoirs team has explained : ” I don’t think European football is in danger. I think Kylian saved the day. If Kylian had left, it would have been a little different. Several players would have followed him given what he represents. So I was happy he didn’t go. (…) But MLS and other championships are going to suffer because they are not going to have the players they used to have. I went to MLS for example. It was because I had chosen a certain lifestyle, I wanted to be in New York, I still wanted to play football. So I went there. One of the big concerns with the Saudi championship is human rights. That’s why I think people are upset about the players going there ».

“Who would refuse what they offer? Kylian did it »

« Who would refuse what they offer? Kylian did it, I don’t know about the rest of the world. I was in this situation with this championship. I was offered 5 times my salary and I stayed where I was. I’m just saying that I refused, but sometimes people speak without being in this position. What is your motivation ? It depends. I’m sure Jamie (Carragher) would never have left Liverpool because it’s everything to him. People have different motivations. For some it’s money. And when there is money, people react differently. But when it comes to human rights, it can be a problem for many. But I’m no one to judge someone. When people ask me if he should have done this or that, I am not in that person’s shoes to know what he was like when the decision was made. I know I didn’t. It wasn’t the same a and b, where I was and where I had to go. But the salary was the same. 5 times my salary and I didn’t go », also explained Thierry Henry on the crazy sum refused by Kylian Mbappé in Saudi Arabia.