PSG striker Kylian Mbappé at a press conference on May 23, 2022 at the Parc des Princes (AFP/Archives/FRANCK FIFE)
The suspense has ended: Kylian Mbappé announced to the management of Paris Saint-Germain his intention to leave the club this summer, putting an end to a long series of several months, without however specifying his future destination.
It is an immense loss that the capital club will have to manage with the departure of the captain of the France team, the only star of global dimension in Ligue 1 since the exiles last summer of Lionel Messi to the Inter Miami and Neymar in Saudi Arabia (Al-Hilal).
Arriving in 2017 from Monaco, Mbappé won everything with PSG, except the Champions League, and will leave after breaking a slew of records, including that of the number of goals scored in the Parisian jersey (he is at 222) .
The precise conditions for the departure of the 2018 world champion are not “yet completely finalized”, a source close to the club told AFP on Thursday, adding that Mbappé had not “yet fulfilled his commitments to PSG”.
The two parties will formalize this announcement in a few months, according to the source, who affirms that “PSG is focused on the future and balance”.
Kylian Mbappe against Real Sociedad in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League on February 14, 2024 at the Parc des Princes (AFP/Archives/MIGUEL MEDINA)
Neither PSG nor the player’s entourage wished to make an official comment at this stage.
The question will now revolve around the attacker’s next destination. Real Madrid, with whom the striker is currently in negotiations over his salary, is the big favorite to welcome him.
Asked by AFP, the club with 14 Champions Leagues made no comment.
– New era for PSG and L1 –
The French international (75 caps, 46 goals) undoubtedly considered that after seven seasons at PSG, it was time to discover new horizons, particularly in his quest for a first Champions League and a first Ballon d ‘Gold.
For PSG, an era of uncertainty is beginning, just like for the French championship, currently in negotiations for its TV rights from next season.
On May 21, 2022, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the president of Paris SG (left), and Kylian Mbappé pose for photographers. The club formalizes the extension for three seasons (2+1), i.e. until 2025, of its star striker (AFP/Archives/Anne-Christine POUJOULAT)
Despite a tacit agreement made with the player in the summer of 2023 allowing the club not to pay several tens of millions in bonuses to Mbappé, who then indicated that he did not want to extend his contract beyond 2024, PSG had made the extension of the top scorer in its history a priority.
The club also decreed the end of “bling bling” in 2023 with the departures of Neymar and Messi, and gave full powers to Spanish coach Luis Enrique to shape a young and coherent team.
At the highest level of the club, it has been repeated in recent months that the institution must now prevail over any player, with plans for the “recruitment of several players when Mbappé leaves”.
PSG continues its transformation “towards the collective and youth”, insisted a source close to the club on Thursday.
But it’s still difficult to do without such a prolific striker, who has scored far more than any other player this season. He broke the deadlock again on Wednesday against Real Sociedad (2-0) in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League.
It’s also complicated to do without a star with more than 111 million subscribers on Instagram, who gives PSG a face internationally, one of the key axes of the club’s strategy.
– The right one for Real? –
And Nasser Al-Khelaïfi was anything but indifferent when, interviewed in several media at the beginning of 2024, he repeated that “the best club for Mbappé is Paris”.
Kylian Mbappé on November 26, 2019 at the Santiago-Bernabeu stadium during a Champions League group match between Paris SG and Real Madrid (AFP/Archives/GABRIEL BOUYS)
If he were to join Real Madrid, as is the big trend, it would be a quest lasting several years that would finally come to an end.
“Real Madrid was waiting for Mbappé to take the first step. And he did it,” analyzed the Spanish sports newspaper Marca on its website on Thursday evening.
For the sports daily As, Mbappé’s arrival at Real would send the club “into another dimension”. “The Frenchman,” writes the sports newspaper, “is without a doubt the best player on the planet.”
Before this possible signing, Real had to face PSG under the Qatari flag who, season after season, lined up sky-high salaries to retain the striker and deployed some key arguments.
Kylian Mbappé, for example, has long spoken of his desire to win his first Champions League for the club from his native region.
In 2019, 2021 or even 2022, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez thought about signing him, before suffering a snub each time.
This time it seems like a good year.
© 2024 AFP
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