Man Utd scouted Mbappe but rejected transfer, says Giggs

Manchester United had the opportunity to sign Kylian Mbappe as a teenager but ultimately decided against pursuing the future global superstar, according to former club winger Ryan Giggs. Giggs, who served as an assistant coach under Louis van Gaal in 2015, recounted how a stranger in southern France alerted him to the then-Monaco youth player. Giggs described being approached on a beach by a man named Lionel, a Manchester United fan who also followed youth football in France. Lionel urged Giggs to look at Kylian Mbappe, then at Monaco, suggesting he was a player for Manchester United. Giggs passed this information to fellow assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg, and the pair began watching several Monaco youth matches. "We seen him and just like, wow, what is this? You can see players and they can be special, but he did look exceptional, obviously," Giggs said, recalling their impressions. The club's scouting department was then informed, and a scout was sent to watch Mbappe play in a match against Paris Saint-Germain. However, after the scouting team's assessment, Manchester United decided not to pursue a transfer for Mbappe.