Picture source: The Telegraph
This transfer window, in an opinion that I feel many can agree with; has been the most defining in history. This is considering the outstanding prices that clubs have bid to even try to get players.
Players such as Kylian Mbappe, who is only 18, has only played 1 full
season of fully-fledged pro football -have apparently shown enough to be valued
around €160 million.
PSG are a rival club to Mbappe's team (AS Monaco) and PSG most
definitely have absurd financial muscle. They have the type of financial
strength to pay the €160 million optional fee for Mbappe at the end of his
loan at the club. And still do so without struggling to purchase other talent.
But my concern is, that for all the hype and boundless potential that
Mbappe seems to have; how is it that a club ran by ridiculously wealthy
business men can see signing any teenage player at all for that type of money
as a 'sound' investment.
Picture source: The Daily Express
Take Marco Asensio of Real Madrid for example. If a club were to bid say
£80 million for him. It would in theory look like a deal that is too good to
pass up. As he has yet to play at the level of a player who can command such a
fee given how young he and his career is.
He is not one of Real Madrid's most important players and actually
didn't start a lot of games for the Spanish giants last season. Players like
Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Marcelo are the
players you'd think of when you consider who is untouchable at that club.
But yet given how well Asensio has performed with limited game time, he
has shown his own potential is massive too. His goals against Barcelona in the
Spanish Super Cup in both legs were timely reminders that he is able to step up
when called upon. And against other top opposition too.
A player like Asensio can so easily be looked at as the future best
player of Real Madrid. He could actually be looked at as one of the future best
players of his generation. And it is this alone, his large potential, that a
club like Real Madrid who can afford to say no; would do exactly that.
Picture source: The Daily Express
Real Madrid are back to back European champions and arguably boast the
best starting 11 in world football. They are also a massively prestigious club
with rich history and are very wealthy too. They are a team who do not need to
succumb to mouth-watering, insanely large bids for their players.
The fact of the matter is, if Asensio is happy to stay and Madrid are
happy to keep him: then he will stay. No amount of money will be able to tempt
them to let him leave. Seeing as they don't 'need' additional funds to what
they already have.
Because the truth is, you can't put a price on the future of your club.
When the time comes for Asensio to be one of the cream of the crop, Real Madrid
will be ever so happy that he's playing for them. It is those types of players
that Los Blancos desire to be playing for their team.
In truth, it is clubs like Real Madrid that the best players ultimately
want to play for. It's really a win-win situation isn't it? The best players by
no coincidence, feel they belong playing for the best teams that can compete for
the highest honours.
Marco Asensio in due time, will be one of Real Madrid's 'untouchables'.
As Mbappe will be at PSG if his future is with them beyond the end of this
season. But Mbappe's price tag does suggest he will be one of the main men at his club right
now.
Picture source: Goal.com
And he really doesn't need to be that type of player right now. He
doesn't need to be the star. He doesn't even need to win the Champions League trophy
right now.
He still needs to learn and more importantly have lots of game time. At
Monaco, he'd have all of that and more. At Monaco he'd have the chance to
become the star man and be at a club that know him very well and can nurture
him.
At PSG he will not have that luxury. His transfer fee will be brought up
at almost every opportunity. There will be pressure on him to perform every
single game. Questions will be asked of him when he goes through even a little
dry spell in front of goal. If the team aren't competing with Europe's best
teams, people will ask why Mbappe hasn’t stepped up to make the game-winning
difference.
Also given how wealthy (albeit not that admired) Monaco are, it also
does not make that much sense that they would allow Mbappe to leave. Especially
when it is not even a permanent transfer. PSG are a major rival in domestic and
even European competition and with no absolute guarantee that PSG will purchase
Mbappe at the end of his loan.
Picture source: Sky Sports
The truth is at times people will forget Mbappe is still a kid. In
football we as fans forget very easily. We as fans fail to appreciate a player
and their hardship, the same goes for managers too. Mbappe very reasonably may
find these levels of pressure too much too handle this early in his
development.
In addition to this, PSG are a club who want to win the Champions League
and have previously always fallen short of even making the semi-final. Which
Monaco managed last season. There won't be much time to cradle Mbappe. He'll
have to perform quickly and consistently although more pressure will be on
Neymar Jr to make the biggest contribution.
Players like Ousmane Dembele, aged 20, who cost Barcelona over £96
million to sign this summer are in the same boat as Mbappe. They are looked
upon as the best young talent in the world and as future superstars. Just like
Asensio.
How much clubs will pay for to get such players is anyone's guess.
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