Kylian Mbappé has been sidelined by PSG from his tour of Japan, while the striker has not yet extended his contract.
“We are in a crazy thing!” Philippe Piat, the president of the UNFP, the union of professional football players, denounces on Saturday July 22 on franceinfo the situation of Kylian Mbappé, sidelined by PSG. The Parisian captain has been deprived of the club’s tour of Japan due to the vagueness surrounding his future. His contract comes to an end next June, but the striker has still not extended. For PSG, it is out of the question to see him leave for free in 2024. Either he signs a new contract or he leaves.
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“Someone who has a fixed-term contract, which is going to end next year, and who wants to respect it, all of a sudden, or he is blacklisted, or he is dismissed”, wonders Philippe Piat. “It’s something that’s incredible.”
A precedent at PSG two years ago
“We are ready to defend the player if the opportunity arises”, assures the president of the UNFP. Philippe Piat recalls that, “in the rules”clubs have the right to manage their squad “in the way they think good until September 1st”. But he specifies that from September 1, “the club will no longer be able to manage its workforce without falling into illegality”.
The boss of the UNFP believes that the Parisian captain wants “terminate his contract” which ends in 2024. “If his desire is not to extend, we don’t have to threaten him so that he extends.” Philippe Piat evokes “a previous” at PSG. “You have to remember that two years ago, with Adrien Rabiot, that was the case. Afterwards, Paris Saint-Germain bit their fingers for having acted like that.” Adrien Rabiot who, “now, make the good days of Juventus”.
A form of bullying
More generally, the UNFP is now targeting all clubs that set up what is called a loft. It is the fact of putting away from the professional group players under contract that we want to see leave. They train on their own. It’s a way for clubs to make these players understand that they are no longer welcome. According to the union, last year, 187 Ligue 1 players found themselves at one time or another in this situation.
In Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 currently, “more than 150 players are ‘lofted'”, explains Philippe Piat. According to the UNFP, “fifteen” of players“complained to the League’s legal committee to enforce their contract”. But others “don’t”and expect the support of the union because “They are afraid of being blacklisted and having negative repercussions. They hope that things will work out”.
The UNFP considers these practices as “moral harassment”. This is already the case for “three players”assures Philippe Piat. “We wanted the Ministry of Sports to take note of it. For the moment, that has not been the case.” But he hopes that, like Kylian Mbappé is “the world star, maybe it will move a little better than so far”.