Mbappe Nears Real Madrid Transfer, Deschamps Concentrates On French Squad Unity

Kylian Mbappe is set to attract significant attention as rumours intensify about his potential move to Real Madrid. However, France head coach Didier Deschamps remains unfazed by the speculation surrounding his star forward. The French international is reportedly preparing to finalise his transfer to Madrid after announcing that the 2023-24 season will be his last with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Real Madrid is not expected to confirm the deal until after Saturday's Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund. Subsequently, the focus will shift to Euro 2024, which begins next month. During a press conference on Wednesday, Deschamps addressed the media's questions about Mbappe but maintained his composure, stating he is ready to adapt to the situation.

"It doesn't depend on me," said Deschamps as impatience grows for the official announcement of Mbappe's move to Madrid. "They will decide when it will be time to make it official. As far as possible, I will adapt to the collective and the French team."

Mbappe leaves PSG with an impressive record of 256 goals over seven seasons, including 42 in the Champions League. He also provided 96 assists, making him responsible for 352 goal involvements—the highest for PSG this century, surpassing Edinson Cavani (236) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (210).

Deschamps humorously remarked on Mbappe's form: "You don't think he's in good shape... He only scored 44 goals in the season; he could have done better." He added that Mbappe played in a Coupe de France final and remains active.

Despite the ongoing interest in Mbappe, Deschamps has no plans to treat him differently from other French team members. "The context in the French team is different," he said. "I'm not going to pay more attention to him in relation to that aspect. But I understand that from the outside, the media aspect in relation to [the club's] decisions and the announcement takes up a lot of time."

Deschamps hopes his France team can soon focus solely on their Euro 2024 campaign, which begins against Austria on June 17. The Les Bleus manager aims to secure qualification by defeating Austria and the Netherlands before their final group-stage match against Poland.

"I am a positive person, and I am driven by the idea that every day that goes by brings us closer to a positive response," Deschamps stated. "Everything will be done to make sure things go as smoothly as possible."