Paris, France – French striker Kylian Mbappe has informed Paris St-Germain (PSG) of his decision to part ways with the club at the conclusion of the current season. The 25-year-old’s contract with the Ligue 1 champions is nearing its end, and widespread speculation links him to a potential move to Real Madrid.
🚨🚨 BREAKING: Kylian Mbappé has now informed PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi that he will LEAVE the club as free agent.
The terms of the departure are yet to be fully agreed but he will LEAVE Paris in the summer — Kylian has yet to fulfil his commitments to the club. pic.twitter.com/bD0ji3CTyA
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 15, 2024
Mbappe’s future became a contentious issue with PSG last summer, leading to a significant standoff. The striker was temporarily excluded from the first-team squad and omitted from the club’s pre-season tour of Asia. Although a resolution was eventually reached, allowing PSG to safeguard their interests upon Mbappe’s departure, the precise terms of his exit remain to be finalized.
While PSG would have preferred to retain Mbappe, his departure aligns with the club’s strategic shift towards building a younger squad and deviating from the ‘Galacticos’ approach. This departure follows the exits of Lionel Messi and Neymar since the previous season’s conclusion.
Mbappe, a key figure in PSG’s recent successes, has an estimated annual salary of around €200 million (£171 million). Currently, PSG leads the French league, boasting an 11-point advantage over second-placed Nice. Additionally, the club is set to face Nice in the quarter-finals of the domestic cup.
In the first leg of the Champions League last-16 clash against Real Sociedad, PSG emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline, with Mbappe contributing by scoring the opening goal. This season, he has notched up four goals in the Champions League and an impressive 20 goals in Ligue 1.
With an overall tally of 243 goals and 93 assists in 290 games for PSG, Mbappe has played a pivotal role in securing five Ligue 1 titles for the club. His journey with PSG began in 2017 when he joined as an 18-year-old from Monaco, initially on loan before sealing a permanent move for €180 million (£165.7 million).
Mbappe’s impending departure comes after he declined to extend his contract for an additional year. While PSG would ideally have wanted to capitalize on a transfer fee, the one-year extension clause hints at potential negotiations involving financial concessions on the player’s part.
Having scored a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final, Mbappe’s stature in the football world reached new heights, leading to his appointment as the captain of the French national team after Hugo Lloris’ retirement. As the football community awaits Mbappe’s next destination, the impending transfer promises to reshape the landscape of European football.
