Mbappé refused Manchester United twice — here’s why
The French forward turned down United first from Monaco and later because he doubted their project; he joined Real Madrid in 2024.
Kylian Mbappé rejected Manchester United on two separate occasions before joining Real Madrid, turning down the English club first as a teenager and again years later for sporting reasons.
Why he said no
The initial approach came while Mbappé was still at Monaco and Manchester United’s manager at the time, José Mourinho, reportedly planned to build the attack around the young forward. Mbappé chose Paris Saint-Germain instead, moving to the French capital as a rising talent.
United returned with another offer several years after, but Mbappé declined once more. This time he was explicit: he did not trust the club’s sporting project and believed Manchester United was not ready to mount a genuine challenge for the Champions League trophy.
The decision carries a sharp irony. Mbappé remained at the Parc des Princes aiming to conquer Europe with Paris Saint-Germain but, despite dominating domestic competitions, the Champions League title eluded him while big investments were made at the club. Manchester United, for its part, went through periods of reorganisation, multiple coaching changes and shifts in leadership during the same years.
Ultimately, Mbappé opted to move on: he signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid as a free agent in 2024. As of now he still has not secured the Champions League trophy.
Photo: press material from the event
