Kylian Mbappe's one year contract with PSG is expiring. Credit: Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes e in the coming days and will consider proposals from Saudi Arabia to end the bitter dispute with the French striker.
The Ligue 1 champions are aware of a number of clubs waiting for a decision on Mbappe's future, which became clear when he was excluded from PSG's pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea.
Such is PSG's determination to sell Mbappe rather than let him leave as a free agent next summer. The Qatari-owned club is willing to accept a year-long transfer — essentially a hefty loan fee — that would allow Mbappe to realize his dream of a move to Real Madrid in 11 months.
Negotiations with Madrid will likely revolve around whether the Spaniards can afford a deal to achieve their long-term goal in the current transfer window. Last week, they announced a profit of €11.8m in their 2022/23 financials and revenue of up to €843m.
However, UEFA informed them that the sale of future broadcasting rights and media assets, amounting to €360m according to Real Madrid, would not be considered financial fair play profit. Mbappe's signing this summer is likely to cost £400m including PSG transfer fee and wages, the biggest hurdle to a move that all parties want.
His situation is expected to draw the attention of the Saudi Professional League (SPL). Relations between the countries seemed cordial during the World Cup, when the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, were photographed together.
Move to Real Madrid, which is ready to wait until next summer. Photo: EPA/Ian Langsdon
The SPL has changed the shape of the transfer market with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema joining their rivals. While many of their big-name players are at the end of their careers, signing Mbappe for even one season would be one of the biggest transfer coups ever.
While PSG sources believe there are «a few» clubs interested, few can afford a deal to captain Les Bleus. Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, recently appeared to have ruled out Mbappe's move to the Etihad Stadium as the player wants Real Madrid. «You know where he wants to go,» Guardiola said on Spanish television.
Mbappe himself is ready to sit on the bench and actually lose the season if there is no move for him. PSG are suspected to be vague about Mbappe's position, which is hurting his current club in several ways, including strengthening Champions League rivals at Real Madrid. They believe that the missed season before the European Championship shows that his motivation is not related to football.
Last year, he signed a new contract and showed the 2025 shirt at the announcement, revealing the duration of the deal. But the final season of the contract was an option and Mbappe would not activate the clause for an extra year.
PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi spoke at Luis Enrique's opening ceremony as manager and insisted that Mbappe should sign a new contract if he wants to stay at the club after the summer. Enrique's team is due to play matches against Al Nasr and Cerezo Osaka in Osaka next week and will then play Inter Milan in Tokyo on August 1st. They will then fly to South Korea to fight the Jeonbuk Hyundai in two days.
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