Real Madrid board member Jose Manuel Ortero has talked-up his side's chances of signing Paris Saint-Germain attacker Kylian Mbappe next year.
The 24-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Bernabeu in the summer of 2022, but he ultimately penned a new contract with the French giants.
Mbappe's future was again the subject of speculation during the recent market, having made it clear that he would not be signing a new contract, with his current deal ending in June 2024.
Real Madrid are widely expected to finally sign the France international next year, with one of their board members confirming the club's intention to bring him to Bernabeu.
"Mbappe had the opportunity to sign for Real Madrid this summer. To come he would have had to give up some very high bonuses that he had already agreed with Paris Saint-Germain. Furthermore, he would have transferred," Otero told Blanca Remontada.
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"The amount that would be paid to have Mbappe a year earlier was crazy. It didn't make sense to sign Mbappe a year earlier even though he was broken in [Karim] Benzema's position.
"We hope Mbappe thought the same as [Jude] Bellingham and I trust that he will come. Mbappe will achieve glory when he comes to Real Madrid. Meanwhile, he will be wandering around. He will win a Champions League someday.
"Now it seems that PSG is less powerful than before because they no longer have such good players. Madrid guarantees security, a seriousness that gives results. I trust he will say yes when he is a free agent. Mbappe was born to play for Real Madrid, of course.
"Mbappe was such a young kid and they flooded him with money and he decided. If we ask him today and he is sincere and speaks, Mbappe will say that he regrets that decision. He could have already won a European Cup and been happy in Madrid."
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Ortero also played down suggestions of tension between Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and Mbappe following the latter's decision to sign a new deal at PSG in 2022.
"The relations between Mbappe and Florentino were never bad. Florentino did not take it the wrong way. He understood the player's reaction," he added.
"If you look closely, there was not a single intemperate reaction from Madrid against the player. He always protected him. There were more fans who felt disappointed. Madrid always left its doors open. [Zinedine] Zidane was 29 years old [when he joined]. Mbappe is going to come for about 25."
Mbappe has again been in strong form for PSG during the 2023-24 campaign, scoring eight goals in nine appearances in all competitions.
In total, the World Cup winner has scored 220 goals and registered 98 assists in 269 appearances for the Paris giants since his arrival from Monaco.
Matt Law
