‘I can say what I want about Mbappe’ – Zidane hits back at PSG director Leonardo

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has told Paris Saint-Germain that he will not be silenced when it comes to speaking of Kylian Mbappe.

The attacker’s relationship with Thomas Tuchel has been questioned in the past, and with Madrid lacking consistent offensive production, they have been one of the clubs associated with a possible move for the France international star in the months or years to come.

Zidane is one of the figures to have talked up the 20-year-old forward, reminding PSG of Mbappe’s self-confessed dream of playing at Santiago Bernabeu, sparking an angry response from Leonardo, the sporting director .

The war of words, however, will continue for as long as Zidane sees fit as he warned the Ligue 1 leaders that he refuses to be silenced on the subject.

“I’ve said nothing, just what the player said, that his dream was one day to play here,” France’s 1998 World Cup hero told a press conference. 

“Everyone does what they want. I’ll not say anything else. I simply said what the player said one day, that his dream would be to wear the Real Madrid jersey.

“I say it again and I would say it every day. I have nothing more to say about Leonardo, I can say whatever I want.”

Liverpool are another side to have been linked with Mbappe, though manager  Jurgen Klopp was quick to reject the speculation – and the German cannot see Madrid having any joy luring him away from Parc des Princes either.

“Buying this calibre of player is difficult. I don’t see any club at the moment who can buy Kylian Mbappe from PSG,” he said.

“I don’t see any club; that is how it is. And we are involved in the clubs that cannot do it. It is as easy as that.”

Mbappe, meanwhile, has had an injury-hit beginning to the 2019-20 season, which has restricted him to 11 appearances. Despite such few outings, he has scored nine goals and laid on another four, fuelling his reputation as one of the world’s outstanding players.

He missed PSG’s 2-1 win over Brest on Saturday because of an adductor injury and it is as yet unknown whether he will play France’s forthcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Moldova and Albania, though he will join up with the squad initially, at least.