Ryan Giggs, the Manchester United legend, has revealed details of a remarkable opportunity the English club missed to sign French superstar Kylian Mbappé during the early stages of his career at Monaco.
The former Wales international told the story on an episode of Rio Ferdinand Presents, published on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. He explained that the events date back to 2015, when he was part of Manchester United’s coaching staff under Dutch manager Louis van Gaal.
A Chance Encounter in France
According to Giggs, the story began with an unexpected encounter in southern France. A man named Lionel approached him and introduced himself as a Manchester United supporter who followed youth football in France.
The man urged Giggs to take a closer look at a young Monaco player named Kylian Mbappé, telling him that he believed the teenager would be a good fit for Manchester United.
The recommendation did not end with that chance meeting. A few weeks later, Lionel sent Giggs an email containing further information about Mbappé, prompting the former United star to take the suggestion seriously.
“He Was Exceptional”
At the time, Giggs discussed the young Frenchman with a member of Manchester United’s coaching staff before they went to watch Mbappé play for Monaco’s youth teams.
Giggs recalled being immediately impressed by what he saw, describing the teenager as a player who possessed something unusual and stood out from the beginning.
The Welshman subsequently passed his recommendation to Manchester United’s recruitment department, which sent a scout to assess Mbappé during Monaco’s match against Paris Saint-Germain.
However, the scout’s assessment did not match Giggs’ enthusiasm.
United’s Scouts Were Not Convinced
Several weeks later, Giggs asked about the outcome of the scouting mission. The response, according to his account, was that the club’s representatives had not been sufficiently convinced by Mbappé.
As a result, Manchester United decided not to pursue the matter further, and the opportunity effectively came to an end.
Giggs’ account suggests that the club never reached the stage of making a formal offer or entering serious negotiations for the young French forward.
A Decision United Would Regret
With the benefit of hindsight, Manchester United’s decision stands out as one of the club’s most costly missed opportunities.
Mbappé went on to establish himself as one of the world’s leading footballers after breaking through at Monaco. He subsequently moved to Paris Saint-Germain before making another major career step by joining Real Madrid.
What began with a chance recommendation from a football fan ultimately presented Manchester United with an opportunity to discover and sign one of the defining stars of the modern game—an opportunity the club chose not to pursue.
