Paris Saint-Germain boss Unai Emery has claimed that Kylian Mbappe originally wanted to join either Real Madrid or Barcelona in last summer's transfer window.
Mbappe scored 26 times in all competitions for AS Monaco last season, which led to suggestions that the biggest clubs in European football were preparing to battle for his signature.
PSG won the race to sign the 19-year-old on a loan deal with the view to a permanent transfer, and Emery has said that the club's supporters have him to thank for the outcome.
"When I met his father, and himself, at home, the player wanted to go to Madrid or Barca, and it was the club and I who told him that he had to be in France," Emery told SFR Sports.
"Historically, this type of French player, who was just 18 years old and was starting to show up, was leaving France, and as a Frenchman, you must be proud to have Mbappe at PSG. The French must be happy that he stays in France, because before the players like him, like [Thierry] Henry, went to England or Spain."
Emery will leave his position as PSG boss at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
Matt Law
