Kylian Mbappe breaks silence after speculation over PSG exit

Kylian Mbappe has responded angrily to claims that he will be leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Real Madrid this summer as speculation about his future heats up.

Mbappe will not take up the option of a one-year extension in his contract at PSG when it expires next June, according to reports from L’Equipe, with the France forward adding that the club had been notified of his decision last year.

Mbappe, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, confirmed his decision in a letter to the club and could even be sold this summer as PSG will seek to avoid losing him for free, according to the report.

The forward would be free to negotiate and sign a pre-contract agreement with a new club from January should he decide to see out the remaining year of his deal at PSG, as he appears to want to do.

In a statement sent to news agency AFP on Tuesday, Mbappe said PSG “were informed on July 15, 2022” of his decision to not extend his contract, adding that “the only aim of the letter was to confirm what had already been spoken about previously”.

The 24-year-old then took to social media to refute a report from French newspaper Le Parisien that claimed he wants to join Real Madrid this summer.

Quote-tweeting the report on Twitter, Mbappe wrote: “LIES… At the same time, the bigger it is, the more it passes. I have already said that I will continue next season at PSG where I am very happy.”

The French club, owned by Qatar Sports Investments, have already lost Lionel Messi on a free transfer after the Argentina forward left at the end of his two-year contract to join Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami.

PSG have not responded to a request for comment.

Mbappe was widely tipped to join Real Madrid last season but rejected a move to Spain to sign a contract extension with PSG. He has long been admired by Real, who had a bid reported to be as high as €200m turned down in 2021.

Real, who have already agreed a deal to sign England midfielder Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, could step up their interest in Mbappe following striker Karim Benzema’s move to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, despite Mbappe’s online protestations.

However, Premier League clubs such as Manchester United and Man City will also likely assess their options and see if they can bring in one of the best players in the world.

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Mbappe, one of the game’s finest talents who burst onto the scene as a teenager, has won five Ligue 1 titles with PSG but the Champions League trophy has remained out of reach.

PSG signed Mbappe from AS Monaco in 2017 in a deal reported to be around €180m, making him the world’s second-most expensive signing after Neymar, who joined them from Barcelona for €222m.

Mbappe became PSG’s all-time top scorer after netting 41 goals in 43 games in all competitions and helped the capital club win a record 11th French title.

He was named France captain after leading them to a second straight World Cup final in December, where he netted a hat-trick against Argentina before losing on penalties.

Reuters