Kylian Mbappe’s journey to Real Madrid has taken an unexpected turn. Years ago, the French forward was reportedly reluctant to join Manchester United because of concerns surrounding Jose Mourinho’s style of football.
Now, the story has come full circle.
Mbappe eventually fulfilled his long-standing ambition of playing for Real Madrid. But instead of working with Zinedine Zidane as he once imagined, the French superstar now finds himself working under Mourinho, the very manager whose presence was reportedly one of the reasons he rejected Manchester United.
It is an unusual twist in a career that has already been filled with major decisions and huge expectations.
Manchester United Had Mbappe on Their Radar Early
Manchester United’s interest in Mbappe reportedly began long before he became one of the biggest names in world football.
At the time, Mbappe was still a promising teenager at AS Monaco. The young forward had already attracted attention in France, and Manchester United were among the clubs monitoring his development.
Former Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs recently recalled how the club first became aware of Mbappe.
Giggs, who was working as an assistant to Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford, said he received a recommendation about a talented young French player while he was in southern France.
The recommendation came from a Manchester United supporter named Lionel, who encouraged Giggs to keep an eye on Mbappe.
“You should see this player. His name is Kylian Mbappe. He is at Monaco and I think he is a player for Manchester United,” Giggs recalled.
The information was subsequently passed on to Manchester United’s coaching staff and scouting department.
United Scouts Watched Mbappe at Monaco
Manchester United did not simply rely on the recommendation.
According to Giggs, club representatives attended several Monaco youth matches to assess Mbappe more closely.
The teenager immediately caught their attention.
Giggs recalled the reaction after watching Mbappe, describing the youngster as a player who looked different from the rest.
“Wow, what a player is this?”
The early impression was certainly positive. However, the scouting process did not result in Manchester United making Mbappe a priority.
Giggs explained that another scout later watched Mbappe during a Monaco match against Paris Saint-Germain.
The assessment that followed was not as convincing as expected.
When Giggs asked about the report several weeks later, he was told that the scouts were not completely convinced by the player.
As a result, Manchester United ultimately decided to move on.
Manchester United’s early Mbappe story:
- Mbappe was monitored while he was still a teenager at Monaco.
- Ryan Giggs helped pass the recommendation to Manchester United staff.
- United scouts watched several Monaco matches.
- Some scouts were impressed by Mbappe’s ability.
- A later assessment was reportedly less convincing.
- Manchester United eventually ended their pursuit at that stage.
Mbappe Reportedly Had Concerns About Mourinho
The story took another interesting turn in 2017.
At that point, Mbappe was already attracting serious interest from Europe’s biggest clubs. According to a report from L’Equipe at the time, the 18-year-old reportedly did not want to move to Manchester United while Mourinho was in charge.
One of the reasons was reportedly related to the style of football being played at Old Trafford.
Mbappe was said to prefer a more attractive and attacking approach. He was also reportedly concerned about his chances of playing regularly, with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial already competing for positions in attack.
For a young player trying to establish himself at the highest level, regular playing time was understandably an important consideration.
Mbappe therefore reportedly viewed Real Madrid as a more appealing destination.
Real Madrid Was Always the Dream
Real Madrid held a special place in Mbappe’s ambitions.
The French forward was reportedly attracted by the possibility of playing alongside his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo. He was also believed to appreciate the attacking philosophy associated with Zidane during that period.
However, Mbappe did not move to Madrid in 2017.
Instead, he joined Paris Saint-Germain on loan from Monaco before the transfer was made permanent.
That decision proved to be an important chapter in his development.
At PSG, Mbappe established himself as one of the most prolific forwards in world football. His performances eventually made a future move to Real Madrid feel increasingly inevitable.
Mbappe Eventually Gets His Real Madrid Move
Years after reportedly turning down the idea of joining Manchester United, Mbappe finally achieved his ambition of playing for Real Madrid.
He joined Los Blancos in 2024 and quickly became one of the club’s most important attacking figures.
The move represented the fulfillment of a dream that had existed since his younger days.
Yet there was an unexpected element to the story.
The coach now working with Mbappe is Mourinho.
That makes the situation particularly ironic considering the reports surrounding Mbappe’s decision years earlier.
The Mourinho-Mbappe Story Comes Full Circle
The contrast is difficult to ignore.
When Mbappe was 18, reports suggested that Mourinho’s presence at Manchester United was one of the factors that made Old Trafford less attractive to him.
He reportedly wanted a more attacking style and was also concerned about his potential role within the squad.
Instead of Manchester United, Mbappe eventually chose PSG before finally making his way to Real Madrid.
And now, at the club he always wanted to represent, he is working with Mourinho.
The circumstances are completely different from those of 2017. Mbappe is no longer a teenage prospect trying to establish himself. He is an established superstar with years of experience at the highest level.
Mourinho, meanwhile, is no longer simply the Manchester United manager that Mbappe reportedly wanted to avoid.
That makes their current relationship one of the more intriguing twists in Mbappe’s career.
A Career Decision That Looks Very Different Today
Mbappe’s old Manchester United decision is a reminder of how quickly football can change.
At the time, choosing a club based on its playing style, competition for places and managerial situation could have seemed perfectly logical for a teenager.
But years later, the same decision has produced an unexpected irony.
Mbappe did not choose Mourinho’s Manchester United.
He chose Real Madrid instead.
Yet his journey eventually brought him to Madrid, where Mourinho is now the manager he has to work with.
For Mbappe, the story has come full circle in a way few could have predicted when he was still a young Monaco prospect.
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