Monaco VP Vadim Vasilyev Claims PSG Wonderkid Kylian Mbappe Snubbed Real Madrid in the Summer

Monaco's vice president Vadim Vasilyev has claimed that 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe rejected an offer to join Real Madrid from Monaco in the summer, despite Los Blancos matching Paris Saint-Germain's offer for the French superstar.

All eyes were on the striking prodigy last season as he tore through teams in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, and it looked a formality that he would join a star studded outfit at the Bernabeu, as Zinedine Zidane's newest galactico.

However, PSG swooped and secured the player on loan with a view to buy next season for £166m. Real Madrid have since had a turbulent term and are currently placed a seemingly insurmountable 19 points behind rivals Barcelona.

Vardim Vasilyev claims that Mbappe wished to join PSG over the 12-time European champions as he felt he would get more game time at the Parc des Princes, despite being a huge admirer of Los Blancos.

"Real Madrid offered the same amount as the PSG," Vasilyev said on the Duga program, directed by former French international Christian Dugarry on Radio Montecarlo (via Marca).

"I have always been clear and I won't hide it, but I don't like strengthening a direct competitor... I wouldn't have done it, but I respected Kylian and his family's wishes."

Mbappe's league leaders square off against the defending champions; in the first round of Champions League knockouts in February in a mouthwatering clash at the Bernabeu.