Kylian Mbappe has informed Paris St Germain that he will not be opting for a one-year contract extension when his current deal expires in June next year, as reported by L’Equipe on Monday.
In a letter addressed to the club, Mbappe, who clinched the World Cup victory with France in 2018, confirmed his decision. There are even suggestions that PSG might consider selling him during this summer transfer window to avoid losing him for free. If Mbappe chooses to stay for the remaining year of his contract, he would be free to negotiate and sign a pre-contract agreement with another club starting from January.
It should be noted that PSG, owned by Qatar Sports Investments, recently experienced the departure of Lionel Messi on a free transfer after the Argentinian forward’s two-year contract came to an end, leading him to join Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami.
As of now, PSG has not issued any official response regarding this matter.
Last season, there were strong speculations that Mbappe would join Real Madrid, but he turned down the move to Spain and instead extended his contract with PSG. Real Madrid has long held an admiration for the 24-year-old forward, with reports suggesting they made a bid of up to 200 million euros ($215.50 million) in 2021, which was rejected.
Real Madrid, who have already agreed to acquire England midfielder Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, could intensify their interest in Mbappe following Karim Benzema’s transfer to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.
Mbappe, renowned as one of the most exceptional talents in the game, burst onto the scene as a teenager. He has claimed five Ligue 1 titles with PSG but has yet to secure the elusive Champions League trophy.
In 2017, PSG signed Mbappe from AS Monaco for a reported fee of around 180 million euros, making him the world’s second-most expensive signing after Neymar, who joined PSG from Barcelona for 222 million euros.
Mbappe surpassed all expectations by becoming PSG’s all-time leading scorer, tallying 41 goals in 43 appearances across all competitions, and playing a pivotal role in securing the club’s 11th French title.
Following his impressive performances, Mbappe was named captain of the French national team after guiding them to a consecutive World Cup final in December, where he showcased his brilliance by scoring a hat-trick against Argentina before the team’s unfortunate loss in a penalty shootout. (Note: Conversion rate: $1 = 0.9281 euros)
