(Paris) The scenario is immutable but the soap opera does not go out of fashion: rumors announce Kylian Mbappé for sure at Real Madrid, but the French star has not yet announced his decision to leave Paris Saint-Germain and is free to do it whenever he wants.
His silence on the subject for several weeks does not change anything in the attacker’s situation: his contract at PSG expires on June 30; he has never made a secret of his attraction to Real, the team of his hero Zinédine Zidane; the Spanish club has been interested in welcoming him for a very long time and seems better equipped to offer him the Champions League that he wants to add to his list of achievements.
Saturday, the newspaper The Parisian and the sports television channel ESPN claimed that the Frenchman had made his decision to join Real Madrid, without precisely sourcing their information.
In the summer of 2022, Mbappé had already been announced to Real by several media… before extending for two years at PSG.
In 2023, the transfer was also announced as a done deal, with part of the French press alleging Mbappé’s wish to immediately join the Madrid club. “LIES…”, the person concerned replied in capitals on the social network Twitter. “At the same time, the bigger it is, the more it passes,” he added.
On the issue of his future, Mbappé has always clearly said that he is the sole decision-maker and the master of the clocks.
His last speech on the subject dates from January 3 after the Champions Trophy against Toulouse: “I haven’t made my decision, I haven’t made my choice. But we have an agreement with the president which means that all parties are protected,” insisted Kylian Mbappé. “I will announce it when my decision is made,” he added.
Contacted this weekend by AFP, the player’s entourage did not wish to comment on these new rumors.
According to a source close to the Parisian club, there is “no development” in the matter, Mbappé having “not informed the club of any decision”, while there is an agreement according to which the French striker will notify PSG president Nasser al-Khelaïfi first on the day his decision is made.
PHOTO JEAN-FRANCOIS BADIAS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kylian Mbappé
Real Sociedad deadline
Thursday, at a press conference, before the trip to Strasbourg, PSG coach Luis Enrique very briefly responded that Mbappé had not informed him of his choice.
The only certainty is that the N.7 has not yet signed anywhere, a source close to the matter told AFP on Saturday, explaining that he was in negotiations with Real Madrid in particular. regarding the amount of his salary.
By scoring nearly 30 goals in all competitions since the start of the season, far ahead of all other attackers, Mbappé has further tightened his grip on PSG’s game.
But, at the club, a departure no longer sparks the panic of June: its leaders have taken the time to consider life without him.
On the financial side, the striker waived part of his bonuses on his contract to the tune of 70 million euros in an agreement made with the club this summer when he was sidelined from the group, according to a source who took part in the negotiations. Which financially covers PSG in the event of departure.
To make him stay, the Parisian leaders do not plan to significantly outbid compared to an already colossal current salary, estimated at around 70 million euros annually, not counting the signing bonus. And note that a separation would free up investment prospects.
However, keeping a star after the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar remains option No.1. To convince Kylian Mbappé, PSG is counting on the new project started this summer, based less on “bling bling” than on the construction of a collective made up of several close friends like Ousmane Dembélé or Randal Kolo Muani.
PHOTO FRANCOIS LO PRESTI, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé
Other sporting aspects could count. After coming very close to elimination in the group stage of the Champions League, PSG faces Real Sociedad in the round of 16 on February 14 and March 5.
At the end of this double confrontation could come the appropriate moment for an announcement.
On the Madrid side, the Spanish press claims that Real considers it increasingly realistic to align a Mbappé-Vinicius-Bellingham trident, with the Englishman as playmaker, which would put Rodrygo on the bench. There is therefore in theory no traffic jam in attack for the Merengues…