Speculation over Kylian Mbappe’s future is likely to resume next summer after details about the Paris Saint-Germain star’s contract became public knowledge.
PSG announced in May that Mbappe had signed a three-year contract extension with the club, which would keep him in Paris until June 2025. The news brought to a close Mbappe’s continued flirtation with Real Madrid, who spent the previous summer aggressively pursuing the 23-year-old star.
"I am very happy to stay at PSG in France,” Mbappe told the PSG fans at the Parc des Princes. “I always said Paris is my home. I hope we continue to play football and win trophies together. Thanks for everything. I hope that I will continue to do what I prefer to with you all… and win titles together! Thanks a lot."
But the longevity of Mbappe’s commitment has now been thrown into doubt by claims that he is only actually committed to PSG for two years, not three. L’Equipe reports that Mbappe put pen to a two-year contract until June 2024, with the third year optional and up to him, not the club.
That means that the uncertainty about his future will return next summer as he enters the final 12 months of his contract. Mbappe grew up supporting Real Madrid and came very close to joining the Spanish giants before eventually opting to stay with PSG.
PSG rejected a world-record bid of more than €220million in August 2021 and pulled out all the stops to ensure Mbappe stayed to play alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar for another season. Mbappe is reportedly earning £42.5m (€50m) per year, which is in addition to his bonus of £153m (€180m) for staying at the Parc des Princes, where he now also has 100 per cent control of his image rights.
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Mbappe, who has scored nine goals in seven games for PSG this season, recently discussed the interest from Real and how he came to reject the approach. “You never know what is going to happen,” he told the New York Times. “I've never been there [Real Madrid] but it seems like it's my home or something like that.”
French president Emmanuel Macron even tried to influence his decision by telling him that he “has time” so could “stay a little longer”. Mbappe said: "I never imagined that I would talk to the president about my future, about the future of my career, so it's crazy, really crazy," Mbappe said. He told me: 'I want you to stay. I don't want you to go now. You are very important to the country'. When the president tells you that, that matters.”
Real Madrid have previously invested a lot of time into putting on a charm offensive for Mbappe, so it remains to be seen whether they return next summer. Real still have Karim Benzema to lead the line, but the Frenchman will turn 35 in December.
