Mbappe to stay with PSG in real snub

PARIS • Kylian Mbappe has decided to extend his stay at Paris Saint-Germain, French sport daily L'Equipe reported yesterday, although PSG did not confirm the news officially.

The France forward, whose current contract expires on June 30, had been widely tipped to join Spanish champions Real Madrid.

L'Equipe said a new deal, which is likely to tie him to French champions PSG until 2025, had not been signed yet, while at press time, the club declined to comment.

Mbappe's mother, Fayza, had said on Friday that her son had received almost identical offers from both PSG and Real.

According to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, writing last month, PSG were prepared to offer him a £150 million (S$258 million) signing-on fee to keep him for another two seasons.

Football insider Fabrizio Romano, who is well-versed in transfer matters, confirmed the news when he tweeted: "Kylian Mbappe will STAY at Paris Saint-Germain. He's definitely not joining Real Madrid this summer, the final decision has been made and communicated to (Real president) Florentino Perez."

Before the L'Equipe report was published, PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino had said on Friday that he had no idea where Mbappe's future lay, but hoped the forward would stay with his team.

"I hope Kylian is still here for many years to come but I also can't lie. I don't know what is going to happen," said the Argentinian, whose own future is uncertain with him and his staff having just a year left on their own deals.

"We have a year left on our contracts so we will potentially be here next season. I just hope on Saturday we can enjoy celebrating the club's 10th league title (after the last league fixture against Metz)."

But according to ESPN yesterday, Mbappe had already spoken to Perez to inform him of his decision and also made clear his intentions to stay to Pochettino.

The 23-year-old, who burst onto the scene as a teenager and helped France win the World Cup in 2018, was set to leave on a free transfer when his contract expired at the end of the season.

The "will-he-won't-he" move to Madrid has kept fans and the two clubs on their toes over the past few months.

PSG signed him from Monaco in 2017 in a deal reportedly worth €180 million (S$262 million), making him the world's second-most expensive signing after Neymar, who joined PSG from Barcelona for €222 million.

Real's bid to sign Mbappe last year was rejected by the Parisian club, who appeared prepared to lose him on a free transfer this year. Reports last year claimed the Spanish giants had offered PSG as much as €200 million for him.

PSG had no intention of selling their young talisman in their quest for Champions League glory, but the French club fell well short this season when Real staged a dramatic second-leg comeback in the last 16 to knock them out of the competition.

PSG added firepower to their star-studded squad last year with the signing of Messi from Barcelona. But apart from reclaiming the Ligue 1 title, they have failed to win any other trophies.

Mbappe, however, excelled individually, scoring 36 goals and providing 26 assists for PSG in all competitions this season.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE