Published on 16.02.2024
France striker Kylian Mbappe has told Paris St-Germain he intends to leave the club at the end of the season.
The 25-year-old’s deal with the Ligue 1 champions is scheduled to expire and he has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Mbappe’s future was the subject of a major stand-off with PSG last summer.
At one point, Mbappe was exiled from the first-team squad and left out of the club’s pre-season tour of Asia.
However, an agreement was reached that ensured PSG would not lose out when Mbappe eventually left and the terms of his now seemingly inevitable exit are still to be confirmed.
If Mbappe were to extend his deal by a further year, PSG would value him at €150m (£128m) in the upcoming transfer window. They accepted a €300m (£256m) from Saudi club Al Hilal last summer, which Mbappe turned down.
Mbappe’s departure will be the next step in PSG’s plan to move on from the individualistic Galacticos era, instead favouring a more youthful squad focused on the collective. This began when Neymar, Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos and Marco Verratti were allowed to move on.
The departure of Mbappe, whose wages cost PSG €200m (£171m) per year, will free up funds for the club to replace their star player and it is understood there are already plans to make multiple signings this summer.
Warren Zaire-Emery, 17, and Bradley Barcola, 21, have kick-started PSG’s new project, with the French side boasting the youngest squad in the Champions League this season. Xavi Simons, 20, on loan at RB Leipzig, is another thought to be key to PSG’s future.
PSG are expected to offer renewals to Simons and Zaire-Emery, while Barcola signed from Lyon on a five-year deal in the summer.
However, after Mbappe told PSG he would not agree to the additional 12 months of the deal, he was not selected for their pre-season tour to Japan last July.
He subsequently refused to meet with representatives of Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, who made a world-record £259m offer for him.
The striker later returned to first-team training following what PSG said were “very constructive and positive” talks.
Mbappe turned down a move to Real Madrid when he agreed to his current deal with PSG in May 2022.
