France striker Kylian Mbappe has informed Paris St-Germain of his decision to depart from the club when the current season concludes.
The 25-year-old’s contract with the reigning Ligue 1 champions is nearing its end, and there have been strong rumors linking him to a move to Real Madrid.
Mbappe’s future created significant tension with PSG last summer, leading to a standoff. At one stage, he was excluded from the first-team squad and omitted from the club’s preseason tour of Asia.
However, a resolution was eventually reached, ensuring PSG wouldn’t lose out when Mbappe eventually departs. The specific details of his seemingly imminent departure are yet to be finalized.
With a one-year extension option in his contract, it is anticipated that Mbappe’s departure will involve either a transfer with a fee or financial concessions from the player’s side.
While PSG would have preferred to retain Mbappe, his impending exit appears inevitable as the club aims to rejuvenate its squad and shift away from the ‘Galacticos’ strategy, which has also seen the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar since last season’s conclusion.
Mbappe, who clinched the World Cup with France in 2018, is estimated to earn approximately €200 million per year (£171 million).
PSG currently hold an 11-point lead over second-placed Nice in the French league standings and are set to face Nice in the quarter-finals of the domestic cup.
In their recent Champions League last-16 clash against Real Sociedad, the French champions secured a 2-0 victory in the first leg, with Mbappe netting the opening goal. This marked his fourth goal in this season’s Champions League campaign, adding to his tally of 20 goals in the domestic league so far.
With an impressive record of 243 goals and 93 assists in 290 appearances for PSG, Mbappe has been instrumental in the club’s five Ligue 1 title triumphs.
Before signing a 180 million euro (£165.7 million) loan deal to join PSG as an 18-year-old in 2017, Mbappe won a French top-flight championship with Monaco.
In 60 appearances with Monaco, he recorded 13 assists and 27 goals.
At the conclusion of the 2021–22 campaign, Mbappe was scheduled to sign a two-year contract extension with PSG, with the option of a further year.
Mbappe was not chosen for PSG’s preseason vacation to Japan in July of last year, though, when he informed them that he would not accept the additional 12 months of the contract.
After that, he turned down a record-breaking £259 million offer for him from Al-Hilal, a Saudi Pro League team, and declined to meet with their officials.
Afterwards, the striker resumed first-team practice after what PSG described as “very constructive and positive” discussions.
Mbappe accepted his current contract with PSG in May 2022 after turning down a move to Real Madrid.
After Hugo Lloris retired from Les Bleus duty, Mbappe was named captain of France. Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final, but Argentina prevailed on penalties.