Kylian Mbappé saga poised for an imminent resolution

After much speculation, it’s anticipated that more clarity will surround Kylian Mbappé's future after AS has learned from reliable sources close to PSG, that the French player has promised the Parisian club that he will announce his final decision in the forthcoming days. Despite no exact timeframe linked to the decision, it’s been suggested that it will come within the next fortnight. As things stand, it appears that there are two options the striker can take: continuing at PSG or opting to move to the Spanish capital and join Real Madrid with the player still having doubts about whether the best thing for his career is to leave PSG.

Despite stories claiming the contrary, as yet PSG have not put forward any renewal offer to the player. He has simply been asked if he wants to continue to be part of the club’s plans going forward. If he commits to the Parisian side, then the Qatari owners will activate contract renewal negotiations. As things stand, the French forward still has one more year of his signed contract to run, which Mbappé can activate unilaterally, and for which he would earn 70 million euro gross, as he has been doing since the summer of 2022 when he committed to staying in the French capital when it seemed he was originally destined to join ‘Los Blancos’.

Both Real Madrid and PSG are on tenterhooks awaiting the outcome of the decision although for the LaLiga side, the signing of Mbappé is no longer the high priority it was two seasons ago with both Bellingham and Vinicius flourishing at the Bernabéu. PSG appear to be the club in more desperate need of retaining the striker who now no longer has to compete with Messi and Neymar at Parc des Princes.

Mbappé's presence also impacts on the global value of the French league just as the LFP conduct the next cycle of audiovisual rights for the next five years (2024-2029). PSG are also in talks with the Paris City Council to retain ownership of the Parc des Princes and plan to carry out a dramatic remodeling of the old stadium which would see more than 2,000 million euros invested and having Mbappé as the club moves forward would boost this project.

Gentleman’s agreement

The last meeting between Al Khelaïfi and Mbappé took place at the beginning of January with the Qatari stating: “I want Kylian to stay, that’s clear. He is the best player in the world, and the best thing for him is to stay with PSG. Later, when asked about the terms of the meeting he added: “That is between us, I do not want to reveal what we discussed or agreed. We have a gentlemen’s agreement and it has nothing to do with money.

It is between a player and the club president, the sports director and the coach. It is more than a signed agreement. I have confidence in him and I ask everyone to leave Kylian alone. I trust him 200%. He’s a good boy. He gave me his word and he is a man of his word. I believe in him.”

Meanwhile Real Madrid affirm that they still want Mbappé, but not at any price. “There are trains that only pass once in a lifetime,” is the message that has been filtered from the Bernabéu.

What is clear is that neither PSG nor Real Madrid want the soap opera to drag on any longer and everything points to the situation coming to a conclusion in the forthcoming days.