Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said he was proud to have had Kylian Mbappé on his team and understood the decision of the club's all-time top scorer to end his seven-year stay.
Mbappé, whose contract expires this season, announced his departure in a video this Friday after months of speculation about his future. The announcement brings Real Madrid closer to ending its years-long pursuit of the French international, widely considered one of the best players in world soccer.
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“The only thing I can say are wonderful things about Kylian Mbappé as a footballer and as a person,” Luis Enrique told reporters on Saturday.
“I understand his decision. He has been here for seven years and is a club legend. He has given everything to this club, and this club has also given him everything. I wish him all the best for the future.
“I'm proud to have him on this team. He's helped us and he's a leader, and he's done it with a smile on his face.”
But losing Mbappé, who scored 255 goals for PSG in all competitions and won six Ligue 1 titles with them, will not change things at the club, according to Luis Enrique.
“These are things we've known for a long time… they just became public yesterday,” the coach said. “But this doesn't change anything in terms of our overall outlook. Everything will remain the same.
“Regardless of who is here or who is not, my goal is to be stronger next season.”
Luis Enrique said exiting the Champions League after losing to Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals still hurts and that it was important for PSG to finish the season by winning the French Cup final against Lyon on May 25.
“PSG will continue to be a great team and we will improve even more. We will bring players with a strong mentality and players who identify with the club… that's life,” he added.
PSG, who have won the Ligue 1 title for the third time in a row, host 12th-place Toulouse on Sunday in what will be Mbappé's last home game.
