Top scorer in the history of Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappé announced to his president that he would leave the club at the end of the season. An expected decision which does not yet say what its future will look like.
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This time, it’s done and Paris Saint-Germain will not be able to keep him: after seven years spent in the capital club, Kylian Mbappé announced to its president, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, his intention to leave for from the season. The information was confirmed by Radio France on Thursday February 15. The Parisian striker made his choice known on Tuesday, on the eve of the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League won by PSG against Real Sociedad (2-0).
Mbappé therefore did not speak publicly to formalize this decision, but the captain of the France team did not need it. A man of his word, he had already informed Parisian management, in a letter sent last June, of his desire not to activate the one-year extension clause included in his contract, which will therefore end on June 30, 2024. .
What was experienced as an affront by the Parisian management initially cost Mbappé dearly, deprived of summer preparation with the professional group, before being reintegrated into Luis Enrique’s squad. Determined to complete his contract with Paris, the native of Bondy did not complain. Not one word higher than the other. Almost not a word at all. Mbappé communicates sparingly, as do those around him, and his speeches, always appreciated for his ease in front of microphones, have become rarer in recent months.
“I didn’t make a choice”
They can ultimately be counted on the fingers of both hands. A tweet here to support his Blues teammate, Mike Maignan, targeted by racist insults during a match with AC Milan. An interview here, granted to Correspondent, during which even Élise Lucet was unable to scrape the slightest information about her future. Mbappé’s last lengthy public outing finally dates back to November, during a press conference on the eve of a France team match.
The journalists present then jumped on the opportunity: does Mbappé already know the club to which he will be linked on July 1, 2024? The captain of the Blues, skillfully, kicked into touch: “This is absolutely not the news from the France team. I came here as captain of the France team and I would like to remain so for the next ten days. If you have this question and it is important to you, you must come to Campus and I will answer it if I am called to come to a press conference.“
Obviously, there was never any question of a press conference at the PSG Campus in the weeks that followed. Mbappé still ventured into the mixed zone after certain matches in Paris to briefly answer questions from journalists. At the beginning of January, after PSG’s victory in the Champions Trophy against Toulouse (2-0), he spoke about his future to everyone’s surprise: “I haven’t made up my mind, I haven’t made a choice.” He took the opportunity to announce that he had a “agreement” with its president for “protect all parties and the serenity of the club”.
Real is waiting for him, but what is Mbappé waiting for?
From now on, Real Madrid supporters are hanging on Mbappé’s lips, hoping that they will finally move to announce his arrival in the Spanish capital. Mbappé is a fan of Real, Real is a fan of Mbappé. The union has been announced for years, it is slow to materialize and nothing says that the Frenchman will rush to make it official. How would Parisian supporters welcome such an announcement, when Mbappé is still a PSG player and the club is still involved in the Champions League?
The top scorer in PSG history (243 goals), as always, remains master of the clocks. He also wants to be master of his personal agenda. Mbappé has been repeating for years his desire to represent France in the football tournament of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The club that hosts him will probably have to resign itself to only counting on the Frenchman in mid-August, when the other players tricolors who have participated in the Euro will begin the 2024-2025 season.
Because yes, other clubs than Real Madrid can hope to attract him but the competitors are few in number. Pep Guardiola seemed unconvinced by this market opportunity in June, a few days after sending the famous letter: “Manchester City is not on Mbappé, you know very well where he wants to go.“The choice of his future club, everyone sees it as big as a White House. But for it to be made official, Mbappé will have to, once in a while, speak and explain himself.