“I have a contract. Next year I will be there and I will be very happy.” Signed Kylian Mbappé, on May 28, on the sidelines of the UNFP Trophies ceremony. End of suspense, no soap opera this summer? Even Florentino Perez did not have the heart for optimism in view of the 2023 transfer window in recent days. “Are we going to recruit Mbappé? Yes… but not this year”, recently dropped the president of Real Madrid. Except that you should never say never when it comes to football, and even less at Paris Saint-Germain.
Various sources have, in recent weeks, reported Bondy’s desire not to exercise his option for 2024-25. Clearly, Mbappé would play next season and would find himself free of any commitment at the end of June 2024, with the possibility of returning of course, but also that of leaving free for other skies. L’Équipe is departing from the conditional this Monday evening, saying that Mbappé, 24, has notified the club of his decision: he will not activate this famous option. We are able to confirm this information, which has had the effect of a bomb at the Factory. And this in more ways than one…
Indeed, the club learned the news… through the press. At PSG, we do not understand how this decision ends up in the hands of journalists before it has been communicated to the club. Talking about astonishment is not enough. Between anger and disappointment. Especially since Mbappé, holder of the biggest contract … outside Saudi Arabia, had, in fact, no need to write this famous letter and to record his decision now, knowing that the said option can be activated, or not, before the end of July. Sources close to the club with 11 French championship titles, Mbappé “forces” Paris to consider the possibility of a sale this summer. Clearly, either the former Monegasque extends or gives pledges that could go in the direction of an extension, or the Parisian management will seek to sell him this summer. One thing is certain: Paris Saint-Germain will not take the risk of letting their free player slip away in 2024.
The surprise is all the greater in Paris as the two camps were discussing different options which could have allowed the tricolor international striker (68 caps, 38 goals) to re-enlist in the long term for “several months”, with investments in its side projects, various arrangements in terms of image rights… At the club, we don’t yet know very well on which foot to dance. Is it a tactic, to get a bigger contract, more power or the assurance of this or that arrival in the transfer window? The club would only be moderately sensitive to such methods… Remember that “KM” is currently training with the France team, with two qualifying matches for Euro 2024 in sight, June 16 against Gibraltar and on the 19th, against Greece.
Joined this Monday evening, the entourage of the former Monegasque did not follow up. Perhaps the person concerned will come out of his silence on social networks or… at a press conference, during the gathering of the France team? Perhaps the situation is set to calm down and all of this will only be a bad memory for Paris-SG in a handful of weeks. In the meantime, Kylian Mbappé’s future in Paris is more uncertain than ever this famous letter, the way it was brought to the attention of the greatest number and what looks very much like an ultimatum from Paris Saint-Germain, changes considerably the deal. The only certainty is what sources close to the club say with clarity: the club will not let him go free.
