Kylian Mbappe’s transfer bombshell on Thursday shows that Paris Saint Germain (PSG) is in trouble. Tipped to join La Liga giants Real Madrid in the next transfer window, PSG superstar Mbappe has informed officials at the Paris-based club that he wants to leave Parc des Princes this summer. Real Madrid have the option to sign their long-term transfer target Mbappe for free before the start of the new season.
According to the latest developments in the Mbappe transfer saga, the French captain has a plan to quit PSG after his contract expires at the end of the season. One of the finest players in the modern era of the beautiful game, Mbappe arrived in Paris from Monaco in 2017. The 25-year-old extended his contract from 2022 until 2024. However, Mbappe opted not to activate a clause that would have allowed him to stay at PSG until the end of his current year.
Mbappe tells PSG he’s leaving
Mbappe has informed PSG of his decision, as reported by The Athletic. Though Mbappe has informed PSG about parting ways, terms of his exit are yet to be fully agreed in Paris. An official announcement is expected once the situation is finalized in the coming few months. According to a source close to PSG, Mbappe will leave the Paris-based club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Over to you, Real Madrid
Mbappe earns around €200m per year, and Real Madrid have emerged as the frontrunners to sign the wantaway PSG star. Multiple reports suggest that Mbappe will have to take a pay cut to join the record-time European champions. Mbappe has guided PSG to five Ligue 1 titles. The former Monaco star has scored 20 goals in the league this season. Mbappe-starrer PSG will host Nice on Friday. By 11 points, the French club is in first place in the Ligue 1 standings.
Analysis – ‘Mbappe is going to Real Madrid’
European football expert Guillem Balague
It confirms something we have heard for the last couple of days. It happened on Tuesday before training. There was an hour-long conversation between Nasser Al-Khelaifi, President of PSG, and Kylian Mbappe. They shook hands and Mbappe said “that’s it, we are gone”.
The French media and other selected media received a memo from PSG stating that he is leaving.
PSG are saying ‘yes’ that he is leaving, but a bunch of things were mentioned as they are trying to put a positive spin on the story.
They are saying “we have started a new adventure that has to do with getting young French players and, in fact, the squad of PSG was the youngest in the last 16 of the Champions League, we have forgotten the galactico era and going somewhere else”.
Mbappe is going. It will take time for the separation to take place and they are negotiating a bunch of things, including loyalty bonuses and other things.
He has not said where he is going yet… [but] he is going to Real Madrid. Nothing is done, but he knows what Real Madrid will offer, although the desperation of the club has been reduced. Instead of the 50m euros (£42.6m) net they were offering in the last proposal, which Mbappe rejected, they are now talking about 30m euros (£25.5m).
In the Spanish media over the past few months, Real Madrid has been saying they have a plan B, so ‘Kylian, if you’re not interested, we will get Erling Haaland’.
Financial Fair Play rules will not allow them to sign both Mbappe and Haaland because this free transfer will cost Real Madrid between 100 and 120m euros (£85m-£102m) – that’s what they will have to pay the player to sign him for free.
Negotiations will be conducted between both parties in the next few weeks and months, and I don’t believe anyone else is involved.