France legend claims Kylian Mbappe must prepare for position change at Real Madrid | OneFootball

Former France star Emmanuel Petit has warned Kylian Mbappe over his early days at Real Madrid.

Mbappe finally ended his long running saga and completed a free transfer to Los Blancos before Euro 2024.

He will join up with his new teammates next month as the squad jet off to the USA for a preseason tour.

The Les Bleus captain has been heralded as the player to ease Real Madrid onto the next level of domestic and European dominance in the coming years.

His final season in Paris included a career best 44 goals in all competitions at Paris Saint-Germain and he will be keen to hit the ground running in Madrid.

However, one of the most pressing questions for Carlo Ancelotti is where to fit him into a winning Real Madrid team.

Ancelotti almost exclusively played a 4-3-1-2 formation as Real Madrid marched to La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles in 2024.

PSG more often than not played with a 4-3-3, with Mbappe on the left of a front three, a space primarily occupied by Vinicius Junior in Madrid.

Mbappe played centrally in patches at PSG, but his natural role is the one Vinicius drifts into, and this is a puzzle for Ancelotti.

Petit offered his take on the situation and he believes Mbappe will be the one required to adapt.

“Mbappe is smart and will try to adapt quickly to his teammates. He knows the press are waiting for him. They will not give him time or allow for excuses”, as per an interview with Diario AS.

“Vini has done great, as has Rodrygo and Bellingham. The only free position in Madrid is at centre forward and I think Mbappe plays there.

“This is the best way, if you don’t want problems with players, especially with one who has just arrived.

“I don’t think Ancelotti swaps Mbappe for Vini and he knows it. It’s a challenge for Real Madrid.”