Kylian Mbappe has played down transfer rumors as he continues to say that he will stay at Paris Saint Germain next season.
Mbappe sent a formal letter to the club this Monday, where he said that he will not be activating the clause to renew his contract for one more year. PSG is said to understand that Mbappe intends to leave the club. Though the French superstar himself did not say he wants to leave, just that he won’t be renewing his contract.
According to French outlet L’Equipe, The club has now decided on an ultimatum. Either Mbappe has to sign a new contract with them or they will sell him to another club this summer. This is to avoid losing him on a free transfer next season.
According to Marca, PSG wants a fee between 150 to 200 million euros. Such a high fee is a very big extravagance for any club.
Kylian Mbappe silences transfer rumour
Amid all the speculation about his future, Kylian Mbappe himself has now addressed the rumors.
The captain of the French team is currently training with the international side. They will face Gibraltar in a qualifier match for the Euros 2024 tomorrow. Ahead of the game, Mbappe spoke to the press and answered some questions about his future.
The very first obvious question was whether he intended to leave PSG this summer. The captain quickly bashed all rumors of his exit.
🚨 Kylian Mbappé: “At the moment, I’ve only one option: staying at PSG. I plan to be there when the season starts”. #PSG pic.twitter.com/24IM0ESI2m
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 15, 2023
“I’ve already responded. I’ve said that my plan is to continue at the club, to stay with PSG. It’s my only option for the moment. I’m ready to come back for the start of the season. I hope that the next questions will be about the match tomorrow against Gibraltar.”
He was then asked what his situation is currently at the club.
“There is nothing left to explain. People can talk, they can criticize. People don’t know all the ins and outs of this case. I know why I do what I do and I say everything I say.”
Will Mbappe continue with PSG?
While Mbappe speaks of staying, it is not hard to see that everything points to an exit. The fact that he won’t renew his contract means Mbappe will eventually leave next summer on a free transfer. This is in a way, to force the club to sell him this summer and a very smart move from the player’s side.
Kylian is said to be frustrated with the board. He is dissatisfied with PSG’s transfer strategy in recent years. They have bought too many superstars but have not managed to find the right balance to make a competitive team in Europe. The recent UCL failures have added to his displeasure at the club.
🚨🌕| Mbappé didn't have to officially tell PSG about his decision to not renew his contract. Therefore, PSG don't understand why Mbappé told them this, if it's not because he wants to LEAVE the club now. @FabrizioRomano #rmalive pic.twitter.com/pHDEXLnxL0
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) June 13, 2023
It’s clear that Mbappe wants to win the UCL, the only competition missing from his trophy cabinet. And maybe he has realized that he won’t win it at PSG.
Mbappe is a lifelong fan of the club, specifically of their legend Cristiano Ronaldo. It is reported that Mbappe’s dream is to play for Madrid one day and it could come true now. Rumors have persisted since 2017 that the club will buy the striker, but it has never been done though they almost did it in 2022.
https://twitter.com/190TWO/status/1668771823230808064?s=20
The club has recently seen the departure of legendary striker Karim Benzema, who left on a free to join Saudi club Al Ittihad. This means that they need to find a replacement striker quickly to stay competitive for trophies after a bad season. Reports say Madrid is ready to spend up to 200 million euros for the soccer star.
One way or another, Kylian Mbappe will leave PSG. But the question is whether he will leave this summer for a high fee or next summer for free.
