In a bid to maintain its elite status in European football, Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi has taken a strong stance on the future of the team's star forward, Kylian Mbappé. The 24-year-old footballer, whose current contract expires in 2024, is facing a crucial choice about his career trajectory.
Mbappé, a valued asset at PSG with 29 goals in 34 league games in the 2022-23 season, and a five-time Ligue 1 title winner with the French champions, has been given a two-week ultimatum by Al-Khelaifi. During this time, Mbappé must decide whether he will extend his contract with PSG or prepare to move on.
In his dialogue with Le Parisien, Al-Khelaifi was assertive, stating, "We want him to stay but he can't leave for free... if he doesn't want to sign a new contract, the door is open." This comment implies that while the chairman desires to retain Mbappé, he will not let the footballer leave without financial compensation for the club.
The speculation over Mbappé's future was heightened after his communication to the club last month, asserting his unwillingness to extend his current contract. However, he denied any intention of a move to the Spanish giants, Real Madrid, who have previously shown interest in the World Cup-winning forward.
Such a situation presents a conundrum for PSG, which risks losing Mbappé without recovering any of the €180 million ($195.7m) investment made to secure him from AS Monaco in 2017.
Al-Khelaifi has been clear with his position, "We don't want to lose the best player in the world for free -- we can't do that." He also dismissed the idea that external influence, including from French President Emmanuel Macron, would sway Mbappé's career decisions.
Meanwhile, Spanish football expert Fabrizio Romano provided a glimmer of hope for Real Madrid fans on his YouTube channel. He reported that PSG is open to negotiations about a possible transfer for Mbappé, even with their perceived complex relationship with Real Madrid.
Should Mbappé depart from PSG, Real Madrid stands as his most probable destination, despite the high transfer fee that would be required for such a deal. But, for the Spanish giants, it might be a prudent decision to wait for another year, hoping to secure Mbappé as a free agent if the opportunity arises.
Despite the flux surrounding Mbappé's future, PSG continues to forge ahead, introducing Luis Enrique, the former Spanish national team manager, as the club's new head coach this week.
