With nearly every top club in Europe closely monitoring his movements, one of Kylian Mbappe’s former teammates has disclosed that the Frenchman would avidly watch “every game” of a particular Premier League side alongside them.
Mbappe’s impending departure from Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season has sparked intense speculation about his next destination, with several Premier League clubs rumored to be interested. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, the 25-year-old continues to showcase his immense talent, reaffirming his status as one of the world’s best players.
In 31 appearances across all competitions, Mbappe has netted 32 goals and provided seven assists, playing a pivotal role in PSG’s continued dominance atop Ligue 1. Nonetheless, it has come to light that the French captain regularly followed one specific team during his tenure at the Ligue 1 giants, while his former teammate Lionel Messi remained less convinced.
“It was challenging in the past year, but we continued to support and believe,” stated Everton’s Idrissa Gueye, who rejoined the club in 2022.
“Mbappe, yeah, he was an avid viewer. He enjoyed watching every game. [Lionel] Messi, not so much. It was tough for me because we were experiencing a lot of losses, and he would jokingly remark, ‘Bro, come on, you see your team losing and playing like this?'”
Despite being linked with clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool, it may come as a surprise that Mbappe closely followed a team lower in the standings.
Everton finds themselves in a relegation battle once again this season, despite the commendable efforts of Sean Dyche in improving their performance. However, they have not secured a victory since December, with Gueye sidelined due to injury.
A 10-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability regulations has left them in 17th place with 20 points. Without the penalty, they might have been positioned 12th, ahead of Fulham with 30 points.
Gueye also disclosed that he maintained constant communication with his former teammates at Goodison Park as they fought relegation back in 2022. The Senegalese midfielder initially left the club for the French capital in 2019 before returning three years later in 2022, where he has remained since.
“I used to send messages to Seamus Coleman, Mason Holgate, and Jordan Pickford, saying ‘Bro, please do it!’ It was crucial for me to offer support and demonstrate that I was there for them,” he recounted.
He continued, “They reached out to me because they needed my assistance, and I responded by saying ‘I will come and help.’ It would have been easier if they were at the top or even in the middle of the table, but if you truly love the club, you have to be there during the tough times.”
“Lampard reached out to me, Seamus sent me a message, Jordan did too, and I felt like a part of the team even though I was in Paris. They asked me to come and help, and I agreed, saying ‘let’s do it!'”
“At first, I hesitated, thinking ‘why are you calling me, I want to stay here!’ but they insisted, saying ‘Yes, but we need you,’ and the only club I would leave PSG for at the moment was Everton, so we worked out the deal.”