HUMBLE Kylian Mbappe told Neymar he will not “step on your toes” in their first Paris Saint-Germain training session together.
The French forward made the switch from Monaco to PSG in August 2017, initially on a season-long loan before making the move permanent the following summer.
Kylian Mbappe was determined not to ‘step on the toes’ of Neymar when the pair joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2017Credit: AFP or licensors
Just four weeks before Mbappe first signed, the Parisians splashed a world-record fee of £198million to land Neymar from Barcelona.
The Neymar transfer sent shock waves through the transfer market with the deal worth well over double that of the previous record, Paul Pogba’s £89m move back to Manchester United the previous year.
But despite plenty of hype surrounding then-teenager Mbappe, he was more than willing to play second fiddle to the star signing.
Speaking to France Football, Mbappe said: “When I arrived in Paris, this was not even a debate. Neymar was the superstar.
“He got injured and missed [his chance to be at his best for] the World Cup and I won the World Cup.
“And then stories began to come out about our rivalry, about my willingness to take his place.
“In my first training session with PSG I said to him: ‘Don’t worry, I won’t be stepping on your toes here. I’m going to fight for the Ballon d’Or this year because you’re not in the race.
“‘But I assure you that I don’t want to take your place, you can keep it. I’m always here to help you’.”
Since linking up together in Paris, Mbappe and Neymar have enjoyed different levels of success, with the latter’s transfer market value recently dropping for the first time in his career.
Neymar bagged 19 in his first season in France while new team-mate Mbappe got 13.
As Mbappe mentioned, the pair then headed off to the World Cup.
The Brazilian netted twice in Russia while Mbappe – who celebrated his 21st birthday in December – took his reputation soaring by playing a key role as France lifted the trophy.
He netted four times, including in the final, and was named Young Player of the Tournament – then continued his red-hot form with a stunning 33 goals in Ligue 1 last term, while Neymar struggled with injuries and only managed 15.
Both players, however, have been linked with moves away from the Parc des Princes, specifically to Spain.
Neymar reportedly wants a return to Barcelona while Zinedine Zidane is desperate to lure his compatriot Mbappe to Real Madrid in a deal that would surely smash the £200m barrier for the first time.
Mbappe initially signed on loan – four weeks after Neymar’s record transfer – and made the deal permanent in 2018Credit: AFP or licensors
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
