‘It’s Going To Be Crazy With Mbappe’

Real Madrid star Fede Valverde predicted that it will be “crazy” with Kylian Mbappe at what he called “the best team in the world”, during an appearance on The Residency which sees fans send in questions to famous players.

Mbappe and Madrid announced his free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain over a fortnight ago, concluding what seemed a never-ending will-he-or-won’t-he saga which involved Los Blancos president Florentino Perez being ditched at the altar at least twice.

As he often does, however, Perez got his man meaning Mbappe will further strengthen a talented-packed squad which has just celebrated a treble-winning season including La Liga and Champions League titles under Carlo Ancelotti.

Asked if it will be a “new Real Madrid” with Mbappe in the Bernabeu locker room, Valverde said: “It’s going to be crazy, we have the best team in the world”.

On his relationship with fellow midfielder Jude Bellingham, who has not fully grasped the Spanish language yet after being in Madrid for less than a year, Valverde said: “I’m still not sure how we talk, but we understand each other.”

“Sometimes I even use Brahim (Diaz) as a translator,” Valverde laughed, in a nod to Diaz knowing how to speak both Spanish and English thanks to his days at Manchester City in the Premier League from 2016 to 2019.

Listing his references at Madrid, who he joined from Penarol in 2016, Valverde said he looked to veterans Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

Kroos has of course already retired from club football and will completely hang up his boots after the European Championship with Germany.

In public at the Cibeles fountain, Kroos revealed that the Uruguayan will inherit his number 8 and Valverde had something to say related to this matter as well.

“The 15 (Valverde’s usual number) was very important because I won many titles with it, and the 8 will also be important because it is the legacy that my idol left me, which makes me very proud,” Valverde added.

This summer, Valverde will contest the Copa America with his native Uruguay before returning to his regular employers for preseason.