French football expert Jonathan Johnson has explained that he’s not sure if Kylian Mbappe would be the most necessary signing for Real Madrid, and may in fact bring potential issues to Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
The France international is nearing the end of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain and he’s been most strongly linked with Real Madrid, though Johnson has told CaughtOffside, as part of his Daily Briefing column, that nothing is done just yet.
And even if Los Blancos do get a deal done for Mbappe, it could be that they’d upset the balance they’ve currently found in their side, with Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham clicking really well as a front three.
It remains to be seen how Mbappe would fit in with that, and Johnson has cautioned that it might not be worth the risk as it could hinder someone else’s role in the side, whilst also most likely leaving Mbappe himself playing out of position.
“Real Madrid’s attack is already looking so strong this season, and it might be fair to ask where Mbappe really fits in with it all. Ancelotti’s side have been playing without a real central focal point up front, and it looks fairly ideal for them, with Vinicius on the left and Rodrygo on the other side, with Jude Bellingham popping up in the middle. If you add Mbappe to that mix, someone or multiple players are going to lose out,” Johnson said.
“Mbappe is sort of in a half-way house between being on the left and playing centrally, so it’s not clear he’d definitely gravitate towards a more central role, while Vinicius is also surely not going to lose his place on the left, with Ancelotti recently saying he considers the Brazilian the best player in the world. If Mbappe does take up a central role, it might then also lessen the influence of Bellingham as well, so there’s a lot to consider there.
“The Madrid attack is clearly up there with the best in world football right now, so there is perhaps the potential for Mbappe to upset that balance, or at least for somebody else to lose out in that situation. Looking at it in terms of reputation and names alone, you’d think maybe someone like Rodrygo might play a bit of a lesser role, but the most obvious conflict in terms of position on the pitch is with Vinicius on the left, with Mbappe essentially favouring that role.
“If Mbappe does join Real, he’ll be under no illusions by now that they won’t exactly be rolling out the red carpet for him in the same way that they were a few years ago when the player eventually decided to stay at PSG. He’d now have to accept a lower offer and would be expected to fit in as best as Ancelotti sees him fitting in.
“Still, even if it’s not looking the best fit right now, if you can add Mbappe to that trio of Vinicius, Bellingham and Rodrygo, it’s surely the best attacking quartet in world football if you can complete it.”