Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti involved in interesting back-and-forth with journalist over potential Kylian Mbappe signing 

Carlo Ancelotti was involved in an interesting back-and-forth with a journalist following a question about Kylian Mbappe's potential move to Real Madrid.

During a press conference on Tuesday, January 2, a journalist asked the Italian manager if 2024 would be the year when Los Blancos finally sign the Frenchman. When he heard the question about Mbappe, Ancelotti asked the journalist if he was new as he avoids talking about the long-drawn transfer saga between Madrid and Mbappe.

Ancelotti said:

"I don't recognise you, you must be one of the new ones who doesn't know that I won't speak about that. I won't touch on that topic."

When the journalist admitted that he was new, the Real Madrid manager said:

"Ahhh, you must not know I don't talk about that here. No comment on this topic."

During the 2023 summer transfer window, Ancelotti had emphatically ruled out Madrid signing Mbappe, saying (via Reuters):

"No, I rule it out 100%. I think our squad is closed and our players are thinking about our season."

When quizzed about the same earlier this season in October, Ancelotti informed journalists that it was a topic to avoid as he had no plans to respond to it. He said (via Marca):

"It's a question you can ask me today, in three days, in a week, a month, two or three months... and it's a question I will never answer."

Kylian Mbappe has been linked with a move to Real Madrid for the last three years, and he is now free to sign a pre-contract with them. He is currently in the final six months of his deal with PSG and has revealed that he will not extend the contract.

Real Madrid set deadline for PSG star Kylian Mbappe to make his decision: Reports

As per The Athletic, Real Madrid have told Kylian Mbappe that he must sign a pre-contract with them by the middle of January. They do not want to wait longer and miss out on the forward like they did in 2021.

Luis Enrique was quizzed about losing Mbappe at the end of the season and he refused to answer. The PSG manager claimed that he was not the one to make a decision on the striker's future and said (via GOAL):

"As I always have done up to this point. It isn't an issue that depends on me. I am not the one to respond to this question."

Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Kylian Mbappe as they look to sign a replacement for Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia at the end of the season.