As with Kylian Mbappé in May, the capital club offers itself a happy ending at the end of a soap opera lasting several months, started publicly in April by the striker who had, with AFP, expressed her " total disagreement" regarding the negotiations related to his future.

As of June 30, the expiration date of her contract, "MAK" had still not signed anything... She put an end to the suspense the next day, Friday, by extending her commitment to Paris until 2025, a-t- we learned from sources close to the negotiations.

According to one of them, the club offered an "exceptional" salary on a female scale, close to 50,000 euros gross monthly.

This source even mentions a sum twice as high by counting the signing bonus and the bonuses planned over the next three seasons.

The women's PSG season, painful behind the scenes, disappointing on the pitch, ends on a high note.

On the other hand, a departure from the top scorer in the history of the club, with more than 130 units on the clock, would have been heartbreaking as much as a blow for the sports project.

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The player born in Colombes (Hauts-de-Seine) comes out of a high-flying season on a personal basis with 46 goals, club and selection combined, the title of best player and top scorer in the French Championship (18 goals), plus seven goals in the Champions League and as many in the Coupe de France.

PSG striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto in training with Les Bleues on June 29, 2022 in Clairefontaine where she is preparing for the Euro FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

The serial scorer is one of the headliners of the France team, with whom she is preparing to participate in the Euro (July 6-31) in England, next week.

It was also in full training with the Blue that Katoto had taken out the flamethrower against PSG, in April, saying that she was in "total disagreement" with the club during an interview with AFP where she had called for "true deeds".

"There are a lot of discussions (with other clubs)," she added, saying she was "open to everything".

Bluff or real desire to leave?

At PSG since 2011, the young star of the France team has aroused interest in France and abroad, with Lyon and FC Barcelona being cited as possible destinations.

In Paris, "MAK" is guaranteed to be placed at the heart of the project, with an XXL salary, a warm starting place, support from the ultras and the proximity of her relatives, as many benchmarks as she could have lost in casting off the moorings.

Next season, PSG will be able to leave with her to attack the Championship, abandoned to OL after a first title won in 2021, and the Champions League, which the women have never won.

In 2022, the consolation prize came from the Coupe de France, with a clear 3-0 victory against Lyonnaises in the 8th round and a coronation against Yzeure (D2) in the final.

Several more projects

Katoto will carry Parisian hopes with other French internationals Grace Geyoro, Sandy Baltimore and Kadidiatou Diani, as well as with Dutch Lieke Martens, former FC Barcelona striker who recently signed up until 2025.

Katoto's extension does not, however, solve all the problems at PSG.

The N.9 notoriously maintains icy relations with her teammate Kheira Hamraoui, who has one year left on her contract.

Katoto suspects the midfielder, victim in November of an as yet unsolved attack, of having directed the investigators to certain relatives.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto (c) with her teammates during a PSG training session at the Parc des Princes, April 29, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

The affair polluted the locker room for a large part of the season.

He was also shaken by accusations against coach Didier Ollé-Nicolle, suspended in May for behavior deemed inappropriate towards a young player, which he disputes.

Coach to change, organization chart to modify, sports direction to create, Hamraoui's future to be decided: the women's PSG remains committed to several projects but, with the extension of Katoto, it has removed a big thorn from its foot.

© 2022 AFP