Kylian Mbappé’s highly anticipated move to Real Madrid hasn’t gone as smoothly as expected after his free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
The 25-year-old, now under contract until 2029, has faced a challenging start in Madrid. His struggles were on display during Real Madrid’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League group stage.
With Vinicius sidelined last Wednesday, Mbappé had a chance to shine in his preferred role, but the night ended in disappointment for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner.
Although Mbappé found the back of the net in a weekend clash against Getafe, he continues to fall short in pivotal moments. His progress hit another snag on Wednesday when he missed a penalty in the 68th minute during Real Madrid’s 2-1 loss to Athletic Club.
### Kylian Mbappé will be staying at Real Madrid long-term
Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images
Amid the recent struggles from the winger, there’s discussion over whether he has a future at Real Madrid even if it’s Year 1. Nonetheless, RMC Sport pundit Jérôme Rothen sees Mbappé playing at Real Madrid for the foreseeable future.
“The future of Kylian Mbappé is at Real Madrid (…) I remain convinced that if you have Vinicius at his best, alongside Kylian Mbappé at his best, this team is almost unstoppable,” Rothen said (h/t [Diario AS](https://as.com/futbol/primera/mercado-de-fichajes-en-directo-ultima-hora-de-real-madrid-barcelona-atletico-n-95/?noti=mercado_mod_port)). “They have set the bar so high in recent years, I imagine these two great players will put their egos aside to get along and help Real Madrid win by being good for each other, not one without the other.”