Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé stunned a Ligue 1 awards ceremony on Sunday by admitting that he could "move elsewhere for a new project" during the next stage of his career.
The 20-year-old dropped the bombshell as he was picking up the league's Player of the Year award, leaving his teammates and most notably manager Thomas Tuchel shocked as they watched on from the crowd.
"Of course there have been lots of disappointment this season but that is part of football," Mbappé said, quoted by The Daily Mail. "This is a very important moment for me, I am arriving at maybe the first or second turning point in my career.
"I have learned so much here, and I feel it's maybe the time to have more responsibility. Maybe at PSG, that would give me great pleasure, or maybe elsewhere for a new project."
It wasn't a slip of the tongue for the World Cup winner either, as after the cemerony Mbappé said: "I said what I had to say. When you are in such an occasion you can send messages, I think I have sent mine.
"If I speak more it will be too much and that is not the message I wish to send."
Mbappé was already at the centre of transfer speculation as Real Madrid were reportedly keeping tabs on the young forward in their efforts to finally replace Cristiano Ronaldo.
Los Blancos have also been linked with Mbappé's teammate Neymar, but the club instead look to be closest to securing a deal for Chelsea star Eden Hazard.
Source: 90min
