Mbappe came close to joining RB Leipzig, claims sporting director

RB Leipzig sporting director Ralph Rangnick has sensationally claimed Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe came close to joining the Bundesliga side two years ago.

Mbappe burst onto the scene at the start of the year with Ligue 1 champions Monaco before earning a blockbuster move to rivals PSG over the summer.

Unai Emery’s side have signed the France international on an initial season-long loan deal but will reportedly pay £163m to secure his services on a permanent basis next summer.

However, it could have all panned out so differently for the teenager, who only pulled the plug on a deal to join then-2. Bundesliga side Leipzig in 2015 due to uncertainty over who would be the club’s head coach at the time.

“The Kylian Mbappe deal was as good as sealed,” Rangnick told Bild, via Get German Football. “The problem then was that we just separated from coach Alexander Zorniger just after the 2015 winter break.

“We didn’t know who’s going to be the coach. His father told me that if I’m sure I’ll be coaching the team he’ll put his trust over the boy with me. It was February and I still couldn’t give him an answer.”

Mbappe would have to wait nearly two years before starting to make his mark in Europe and now the 18-year-old is regarded as a future Ballon d’Or winner.

In fact, only Cristiano Ronaldo (10) has scored more Champions League knockout goals in 2017 than Mbappe (6).