Parisian President Nasser Al-Khelaïli gave an ultimatum to Kylian Mbappé on Wednesday regarding the extension of his contract. The French striker has “two weeks maximum” to decide.
The ball is in his court. After the clear declarations of Nasser Al-Khelaïfi during the presentation of his new coach Luis Enrique, Wednesday July 5, two options seem to be available to Kylian Mbappé: to extend his contract with PSG before July 31, deadline to lift his third optional year, or leave this summer for new horizons. The president of Paris Saint-Germain has revealed that he is waiting for his decision in “maximum two weeks.”
And if the French striker does not respond to the ultimatum issued by Nasser Al-Khelaïli? The Qatari leader is clear: “If he doesn’t want to sign (extension)the door is open, it’s a certainty. No player is bigger than the club.” In two weeks maximum, the future of Kylian Mbappé should therefore be fixed. For him and for the capital club, what are the best possible options? Contacted by france info: sportsthree sports economists shed some light on the subject.
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and PSG go all-in
So far, negotiations have been behind the scenes between the two sides. Has the pressure put on the Mbappé clan reshuffled the cards? For Mickael Terrien, “I’Nasser Al-Khalaifi’s interview is really smart.” By setting a deadline for Kylian Mbappé, the Parisian president wanted to prove “that the institution is strong, possibly pushing for a departure by giving the impression that PSG is not completely losing”, explains the sports economist. For Nasser Al-Khalaifi, either Kylian Mbappé leaves this summer and brings a considerable sum to Paris, or he extends to help the club achieve its objectives.
“Kylian Mbappé would do well to stay another year at PSG to get a better bonus when he signs his contract with a new club next year.”
Mickael Terrien, sports economistAt franceinfo: sport
Nasser Al-Khalaifi said to himself thus “very shocked to know that he intended to leave for free”subtly targeting the image of the French striker. “PSG have their feet and hands tied, so their only card to play is to target Mbappé’s image, points the finger at Mickael Terrien. Among the big stars, there are two types of income: those linked to salary and those linked to sponsorship, which generate much more money than the salary itself.
The French striker “understood that his image was a more important market value than his quality as a player”, continues the sports economist. In the management of his social networks and his communication, Kylian Mbappé makes sure to always keep control. A tendency which has sometimes pushed him into direct conflict with Paris Saint-Germain and with the France team. “That’s what Nasser Al-Khalaifi’s statement is well played”notes Mickael Terrien.
Kylian Mbappé keeps the cards in hand
Despite Nasser Al-Khalaifi’s ultimatum, the 24-year-old remains in a strong position. “A transfer is a three-way relationship which requires terminating a contract, in this case between Mbappé and PSG, and signing a transfer contract, between PSG and the acquiring club.recalls Christophe Lepetit. If Kylian Mbappé does not want to leave this summer, PSG cannot legally force him to do so.”
The French striker therefore has control over his future: he can either decide to extend or leave this summer, as the Parisian president wishes, or decide not to activate his third contract year and leave the free club next season. This last option, unthinkable for Nasser Al-Khalaifi, nevertheless remains a possibility. “Anyway, Mbappé has relatively the cards in hand today”says Christophe Lepetit.
A transfer market revolution?
If he is reputed to have been the first to break many records on a sporting level, Kylian Mbappé could, this time, become a pioneer of a revolution in the transfer market. “If the best player in the world goes through with his contract, can choose the club with which he will engage freely and strictly negotiate his salary and bonuses, that breaks the transfer market to a large extent.supports Jean-Pascal Gayant. He is reversing the system.” At the expense of clubs, which have always had a monopoly on the transfer market, players could thus regain control, by going through with their contract and negotiating better signing bonuses.
The stakes are all the more important for Nasser Al-Khalaifi, president of the ECA, the European association of clubs. “He is doubly sweatsays Jean-Pascal Gayant. On the one hand, because he is losing the showdown with Mbappé, but on top of that, because he is trying to avoid contagion for all the clubs. The choice of Kylian Mbappé could shake up his own future, and even that of football as a whole.