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Kylian Mbappe has told PSG that he will leave the club as a free agent when his contract expires this summer, sources told CBS Sports’ Jonathan Johnson. The 25-year-old striker has long been linked with real Madrid, and this decision would open the door to such a measure. The news was first reported by The Athletic.
With his contract expiring at the end of June, he has been free to sign a pre-contract since the start of the calendar year and this decision means one of the best players in the world will likely be on the move this summer. Mbappé is expected to participate in Euro 2024 with France and potentially the Summer Olympic Games, organized in Paris.
Real Madrid’s pursuit of Mbappé has has been prolonged as Mbappé had a verbal agreement to join Los Blancos in the summer of 2022 before extending his current contract with PSG. Things feel different this time, as even one of the keys to Mbappé’s future is his ability to play in both the Euros and the Olympics. Veteran players do not have to be released to fulfill their Olympic obligations and it is exhausting for players to participate in both tournaments, but winning a gold medal for France is certainly one of his dreams. Having already won the World Cup, winning the European Championship and the Olympic Games would give Mbappé an international trifecta.
Technically, Mbappé could remain a free agent and participate in both competitions without needing permission from the club, since he would not officially be in either. It remains to be seen if he would first reach an agreement with a club that would allow him to play in both tournaments.
There is also Mbappé’s quest for a Champions League title to consider. While Madrid have won four UCL titles since 2016, PSG are yet to win one and their best result was runners-up in 2020. Having won everything there is to win in France, Mbappé’s pursuit of La Liga Champions is paramount since he did not even lift the trophy flanked by Lionel Messi and Neymar in Paris.
Still in this year’s edition, Mbappé can close his era at PSG with a Champions League title after his play helped lead the team to a victory over royal society by scoring in the first leg of the round of 16. Join PSG from Monaco In 2017, Mbappé was one of the most expensive transfers of all time, costing €180 million. But it was also money well spent. Not only has no player scored more goals in Ligue 1 since his debut in 2015, but Mbappé has also become PSG’s top scorer at just 25 years old.
Mbappé has 243 goals in 290 appearances for PSG and is currently Europe’s top scorer with 31 goals in just 30 games. A decorated PSG trophy case includes five Ligue 1 titles, three French Cups, two League Cups and three Champions Trophies, but the absence of a Champions League title is what could define their legacy in Paris. There is a chance to end things on a high note, but this could become a case of what might have been for PSG.
A chance at Olympic glory
He already spoke about his desire to go to the Olympic Games in an interview with GQ, Mbappé made it clear that he would like to leave and which is high on its list of priorities for 2024.
“For any athlete, the Olympic Games have a special place and I already wanted to go to Tokyo because I want to win everything and write my name in the history of the French team as a player who matters,” said Mbappé.
In order for Mbappé to play in the Olympics while at PSG, he would probably have needed to extend his contract, but there is also a risk if he does not sign a deal before the end of the season. If Mbappé were to go to the Olympics without a contract and get injured, his earning potential could be affected by limiting destinations. Time will tell if before the drinks he can reach an agreement with permission to participate in both.
What’s next for PSG?
It was a summer in which PSG added young players to their team with Randal Kolo-Muani, Manuel Ugarte, Bradley Barcola, Hugo Ekitike, Kang-in Lee and the buyback of Xavi Simons. It’s a talented group that could propel PSG into its next era, but to thrive, they need to be trusted without Mbappé. After Real Madrid, PSG may have the best collection of under-24 players in the world, so while losing a star like Mbappé would be painful, the salary savings allow PSG to keep its own stars and the At the same time look for stronger defenders to increase your attack. .
If not Madrid, where?
The expectation, and rightly so, is that the Santiago Bernabéu with Real Madrid will be Mbappé’s next home, but that Doesn’t mean other clubs aren’t circling. Saudi Arabia has already sounded out offers for Mbappé before planning to offer PSG a transfer fee of $300 million and Mbappé a salary of $1 billion. The proposal to remain in Europe may have been rejected, but that doesn’t mean Saudi Arabia won’t be back in the mix. Arsenal are a club that could make things interesting, especially as they would be a way for Mbappé to follow in Thierry Henry’s footsteps, but Liverpool are another Premier League club that cannot be ruled out. If Mohamed Salah leaves, that could open up enough space to pursue Mbappe despite the manager’s uncertainty with Jurgen Klopp’s departure at the end of the season.
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