Real Madrid reportedly ignored worrying data regarding Kylian Mbappe's physical condition prior to signing him for free in the summer.
Mbappe launched himself onto the world stage with Monaco in 2017-18, and his World Cup win with France cemented his status as a global superstar.
The forward ended his time in France after signing for Los Blancos following the expiry of his Paris Saint-Germain contract in the summer transfer window, but it is fair to say that the Frenchman has failed to deliver on expectations.
Mbappe has scored just four non-penalty goals for Real in 12 La Liga appearances, and has netted just once in five Champions League outings.
Fans have become particularly frustrated with the attacker for his work without the ball, with some accusing him of taking a lax approach to his defensive duties, especially in light of the fact Los Blancos have lost three of their five matches in Europe's premier competition.
The Daily Mail report that Los Blancos overlooked serious concerns regarding the state of the Frenchman's physical condition and pushed ahead to sign him regardless.
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Mbappe's struggles
Mbappe has always taken a somewhat more reserved approach without the ball, and his time alongside Neymar and Lionel Messi at PSG highlighted the problems that come with a poor attitude out of possession.
The trio were arguably the most creative frontline in world football from 2021 until 2023, but despite their attacking prowess, their defensive weaknesses were routinely exposed in the Champions League and contributed to PSG's exit from the competition at the round of 16 stage in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Mbappe's last outing was against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday, a match in which Los Blancos lost 2-0 and were thoroughly outplayed.
Mohamed Salah even managed to pick the pockets of the Frenchman early in the first half and win back possession, and though Mbappe made a meagre effort to get back into a defensive position, the Reds could have easily scored as a direct result of his sloppiness.
In fact, it has been revealed that Mbappe has run 39km in the Champions League so far, and his average of less than 9km per game is significantly lower than the over 10km that Jude Bellingham has averaged.
It should be noted that Mbappe's limited running distances have also impacted his showing in the final third, with the forward often seen dropping deeper to collect the ball rather than stretch opposition defence's in behind.
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Real Madrid's issues
Mbappe's style of play is explosive – his immense speed arguably his best asset – but in order to make the kinds of bursts into the box that he is famous for, he does occasionally need time to recover his energy.
Many elite teams have often compensated for their star players and afforded them more leniency out of possession, with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo not known for their defensive contributions.
However, implementing a compact system without the ball has never been Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti's strength.
Ancelotti is at his best when creating a system in which his star attacking players can shine, but despite the success he has enjoyed during his second stint at Real, he has often faced criticism for his supposed failure to create a resilient defensive structure.
It would be harsh to blame Mbappe for his side's problems this season given the tactical issues at hand throughout the side, as well as the current injury crisis at the club, but it would no doubt benefit both the forward and his teammates if he made a more concerted effort out of possession.
Lewis Nolan
