The subject has been the subject of much ink for months, but the closer the end of the season approaches, the more the suspense increases: where will Kylian Mbappé play next season?
At the Parc des Princes or at the Santiago Bernabeu?
Thursday, May 5, the French striker once again found himself at the center of media attention: at the start of the evening, Le Parisien said that an "extension is in sight" between the Bondynois and PSG.
"If the file is not closed, and it will not be until the two parties have initialed the contract, the choice is about to be made", writes the daily.
“For PSG, Kylian Mbappé, transferred from Monaco to Paris in 2017 for 180 million euros, will extend to PSG.”
And Le Parisien to affirm that Kylian Mbappé has “gave an agreement in principle and accepted the fabulous offer of Parisian president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and the Qatari owners of the club.”
The offer in question which would have been accepted: a net salary of 50 million euros per season – unheard of if the information were confirmed – as well as a “loyalty bonus” of 100 million euros net for a two-year contract extension plus one additional year.
But less than an hour after the publication of the article, the player's mother, Fayza Lamari, quickly reacted on Twitter - a rare occurrence - to deny the information and calm speculation: "There is no agreement of principle with Paris Saint-Germain (or any other club).
Discussions around Kylian's future are continuing in a climate of great serenity to allow him to make the best choice, with respect for all parties.
There is no agreement in principle with Paris Saint-Germain (or any other club).
Discussions around Kylian's future continue in a climate of great serenity to allow him to make the best choice, with respect for all parties https://t.co/VHMTOENct1
— lamari fayza (@FayzaLamari) May 5, 2022
Kylian Mbappé “rather on a start”
The development then continued Thursday evening in the Spanish newspaper Marca, to which the player's mother replied: "It is completely false that Kylian has renewed" his contract with PSG, she told the sports daily. .
Fayza Lamari reportedly assured the title that Real Madrid was 'his first option'.
In the process, the newspaper L'Équipe provides details on this subject, qualifying the information published in Marca: "When questioned, the Mbappé clan did not deny having spoken, but suggested that it had not says exactly that”, writes the French sports daily.
"According to him, the mother of the former Monegasque said that to date, 'he was rather on a departure', even if discussions have existed with PSG for some time."
Will leave?
Won't leave?
For almost a year now, rumors and hypotheses have been rife about the choice of Kylian Mbappé.
The only certainty: the French striker wanted to go to Real Madrid last summer, as he himself explained in an interview with L'Équipe published last October: "Initially, I had asked for a period of reflection (at PSG).
Before the Euro, I told the club that I didn't want to extend, and after the Euro, I said that I wanted to leave.
(…) Real made an offer (to buy his last year of contract, editor’s note).”
The suspense over his departure then lasted until the last hours of the transfer window.
The Mbappé clan master of the clocks
The player represents a major challenge for the two clubs who covet his signature.
On the one hand, Real Madrid are looking to attract one of the best players in the world – who has never hidden his desire to wear the Merengue jersey one day – after a failure to obtain his transfer in 2017, when Kylian Mbappé left AS Monaco for PSG.
On the other side, the Parisian club would like to extend its striker – who has already worn the Parisian colors for five seasons – in a pivotal year for the Qatari owners of the club, with the World Cup-2022 in Qatar (in November-December next).
Each club thus tries, often through the press, to blow hot and cold on the future of the Bondynois.
But it is the Mbappé clan that remains master of time in this case.
He demonstrated it again, Thursday, by not hesitating to speak up to cool the ardor of each other.
A mastery of communication that adds further suspense to the already existing uncertainty.
The player himself has been cleverly maintaining, for several months, the vagueness of his contractual situation.
To date, as he said on Sunday, K. Mbappé has not made any decision on his future.
Discussions exist with PSG and with Real Madrid.
If the tendency is rather to a departure, NOTHING is done for the moment, from where a certain play of poker-liar between the 2 clubs.
— Julien Maynard (@JulienMaynard) April 6, 2022
Still, the financial aspect does not seem essential in the choice of the player: he already declared, in May 2021, “want a solid (sports) project around him”, as if to signify an essential condition in his eyes.
In five seasons, Kylian Mbappé became PSG's second top scorer behind Edinson Cavani (200 goals) but did not mark the history of the Parisian club as he wished - by winning a first Champions League.
At the same time, Real Madrid's spectacular European campaign and the luster of the 13-Cup winning club with the "big ears" leave no high-level player unmoved.
Finally, whether he stays at PSG or goes elsewhere, Kylian Mbappé's decision is expected within a few weeks.
Two options seem to be emerging: either at the end of the season, on May 21, after the last Ligue 1 match PSG – FC Metz.
That is to June 30, the end date of his contract, after the four matches played in the League of Nations with the Blues.
A year ago, the French striker chose the same timing – after Euro-2021 – to announce his intention to leave to PSG.
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