Mbappe ‘Already Forgotten’, Says Real’s Perez after Champions League Win

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti (C) and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez after the team won the UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, 28 May 2022. (EPA)
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti (C) and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez after the team won the UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, 28 May 2022. (EPA)
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Mbappe ‘Already Forgotten’, Says Real’s Perez after Champions League Win

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti (C) and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez after the team won the UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, 28 May 2022. (EPA)
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti (C) and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez after the team won the UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, 28 May 2022. (EPA)

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez insisted that Paris St. Germain forward Kylian Mbappe was not on the club's minds as they celebrated a record-extending 14th European Cup crown after victory against Liverpool in Paris on Saturday.

Mbappe was widely tipped for a move to the Spanish capital but signed a contract extension until 2025 at PSG last week in a dramatic U-turn, a decision that irked many Real players and fans.

"Real Madrid will always continue to work on having the best players, but today Mbappe is already forgotten," Perez told reporters after a Vinicius Jr. tap-in gave them a 1-0 win.

"Nothing has happened, Real Madrid have had a perfect season and that is a forgotten issue, there is only a Real Madrid party."

Mbappe's choice to stay at the French champions has triggered a war of words between the parties involved after LaLiga president Javier Tebas said they would file a complaint against PSG to UEFA because the deal "attacked the economic stability" of the European game.

Ligue 1 president Vincent Labrune hit back at Tebas on Thursday, saying his denigration of the French league and its players was "unacceptable".



Liverpool Agree Club-record Deal to Sign Wirtz

Germany's midfielder #17 Florian Wirtz celebrates scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Nations League semi-final football match between Germany and Portugal in Munich, southern Germany on June 4, 2025. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
Germany's midfielder #17 Florian Wirtz celebrates scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Nations League semi-final football match between Germany and Portugal in Munich, southern Germany on June 4, 2025. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
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Liverpool Agree Club-record Deal to Sign Wirtz

Germany's midfielder #17 Florian Wirtz celebrates scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Nations League semi-final football match between Germany and Portugal in Munich, southern Germany on June 4, 2025. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
Germany's midfielder #17 Florian Wirtz celebrates scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Nations League semi-final football match between Germany and Portugal in Munich, southern Germany on June 4, 2025. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)

Liverpool have agreed a club-record deal worth up to £116 million ($157 million) to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, it was widely reported on Friday.

The Premier League champions will pay an initial £100 million, comfortably surpassing their own record outlay, but the performance-related add-ons, if achieved, would make it a potential British record, AFP reported.

Liverpool's overall outlay for the 22-year-old Germany international could surpass the £115 million Chelsea agreed to pay Brighton in 2023 for Moises Caicedo, who turned down Anfield.

Midfielder Caicedo cost Chelsea an initial £100 million fee, which could rise to £115 million.

Striker Darwin Nunez was Liverpool's previous record signing in 2022, although they have not paid the full £85 million as he has not met all the requirements for certain add-ons to be due.

Manchester City had been keen on Wirtz but pulled out, reportedly due to the spiraling costs of the whole package.