Kylian Mbappe could leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer after telling the French champions he has no intention of triggering the one-year extension in his contract, according to reports.
PSG signed Mbappe from AS Monaco for a whopping €180million in July 2018 after he spent the 2017/18 campaign on loan so the Parisiens were able to avoid breaching Financial Fair Play rules.
He has been one of the best players in the world since breaking onto the scene with Monaco and helped guide France to World Cup glory in 2018 at the age of 19.
The 24-year-old has scored 38 goals in 68 caps for Les Bleus and has 212 goals and 98 assists for his club in 260 appearances.
Kylian Mbappé message denying plans to join Real Madrid this summer has not changed PSG position.
Sign new deal now or leave the club, no intention to lose him as free agent. The club is very disappointed, especially Nasser.
Real Madrid, well informed on all the situation.
Real Madrid have been chasing Mbappe’s signature for quite some time now and came close to landing him in the summer of 2022 before the player opted to extend his PSG contract until 2024 with the option for a further year.
With his deal expiring next year, the French giants were obviously hoping he would trigger the one-year extension.
However, this does not appear to be on the cards, with multiple reports saying Mbappe will not be doing so, opening the door for a summer exit.
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According to L’Equipe, the French forward’s departure this summer was seen as ‘impossible’, but ‘the letter sent on Monday by Mbappe to announce he is not going to exercise the one-year option in his contract has changed the tone’.
This now means ‘everything is open’ ahead of the summer transfer window, with PSG giving Mbappe two options: sign a new contract or leave for a big fee.
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The news was confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, who pretty much echoed what L’Equipe had to say, the tap-in merchant!
Romano emphasised that PSG have ‘no intention’ to let their star player leave for free next year.
He wrote on Twitter: “Kylian Mbappe has informed PSG of his decision: he’ll NOT trigger the option to extend current contract until 2025, it means that deal would expire next June 2024 — as L’Equipe called.
“PSG position: NO plan to lose Kylian for free. Sign new deal now or he could be sold.”
Romano later emphasised that Mbappe could be available for transfer ‘right now’ if he does not pen a new deal.
The New York Times add that PSG will hope to receive ‘a fee well in excess of $200m’ for Mbappe should he leave the club in the summer.
Mbappe is now effectively up for sale, but whether or not a club will be able to afford him remains uncertain.
Real Madrid have been linked with the French international ever since he broke onto the scene for Monaco, but even they will struggle to afford him having agreed to pay around £100m for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Los Blancos are in the market for a new striker and are targeting Tottenham’s Harry Kane, so there is definitely space in their squad for Mbappe, though the aforementioned $200m fee will surely be too much.
Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna has confirmed Madrid were hoping to land Mbappe for nothing in 2024 but ‘could take action in the next few weeks’.
A move to the Premier League seems pretty unlikely given the money involved in a potential deal.
Manchester United could be a realistic destination if they are taken over by Sheikh Jassim with the Glazer family actively looking to sell the club.
Manchester City are unlikely to be interested, Chelsea are not in the Champions League and do not have a good relationship with PSG after screwing them over in their winter pursuit of Hakim Ziyech, and Liverpool and Arsenal will not be able to afford him, you’d think.
