Arsenal and Chelsea will be on red alert after the Paris Saint-Germain president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, suggested that Kylian Mbappe will be sold this summer unless he signs a contract extension. The 24-year-old forward faces an increasingly uncertain future in the French capital, with his deal at Les Parc des Princes set to expire at the end of next season.
In May, Mbappe confirmed his decision to not extend his stay beyond 2024, casting great doubt over his future ahead of the summer transfer window. According to L’Equipe, PSG were left angered at the manner of the France international's public announcement and, therefore, they'll consider selling him rather than risk losing him for free in 12 months time.
Real Madrid have been heavily linked with a move for Mbappe for a while now but, following the arrival of Jude Bellingham for a record-breaking fee, the Spanish giants might struggle to meet the forward's asking price – which is thought to be in the region of €200 million (£171.6m), according to Marca.
With plenty of speculation hanging over the Frenchman's future, Al-Khelaifi set the record straight in a press conference which unveiled Luis Enrique as the club's new manager. The PSG chief insisted that Mbappe must sign an extension if he wants to stay in the French capital because the club aren't prepared to 'lose the best player in the world for free'
"We want him to stay but he can't leave for free," said Al-Khelaifi, as translated by Le Parisien. "It was our oral agreement and he had expressed it publicly in an interview. So it's not debatable. And I was really shocked to learn that he intended to leave for free.
"It's very disappointing because Kylian is a fantastic boy, a real gentleman, and leaving for free, weakening the biggest French club, it's not him. When I received this information, I was shocked and disappointed."
Then, when quizzed on how long Mbappe has to make a decision, Al-Khelaifi replied: "That's why he has to decide next week, or at most in two weeks. And if he doesn't want to sign a new contract, the door is open. It's like that for him and for everyone else. No one is bigger than the club, no player, not even me. It's very clear."
READ MORE: Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: Mason Mount number, Moises Caicedo bid, Levi Colwill to Liverpool
While a deal may be difficult to financially justify, Arsenal and Chelsea have been given a small window of opportunity to secure Mbappe's signature. And, if the Frenchman is looking to test himself in the Premier League then he's been told to hold out for a move to Stamford Bridge.
Speaking to Genting Casino recently, Florent Malouda said: "I think he will try the Premier League, but right now, I don’t see any team apart from Manchester City that would attract him. It is not the right time for him to come to the Premier League. He should wait for Chelsea to come back to the top level before he considers a move to England (laughs)."
