Kylian Mbappe rejects extension in bitter transfer row with Paris Saint-Germain

PSG’s position is that the 24-year-old forward must extend his deal, which expires next June, or they will offload him, to avoid losing him for nothing. The developments have put Real, his most likely destination, on high alert, with Premier League clubs including Chelsea also expected to register their interest.

Mbappe claims that the French champions have known for nearly a year that he will not take up the option of extending his contract, but that he is happy to remain in Paris until the end of next season, when he would become a free agent. However, PSG have hit back, saying that Mbappe’s advisers have been involved in talks to extend his deal in recent months – and they were shocked to receive a letter on Monday saying he would not do so.

PSG have ruled out the possibility of Mbappe leaving on a free transfer, given that he is the hottest property in world football, alongside Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, and would command a fee of about pounds 155 million, according to transfermarkt.com.

The Times has seen a copy of the letter sent by Mbappe to the PSG president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, which according to the envelope was sent on Saturday. It states plainly that the forward does not wish to accept the option of an additional season until June 2025. The letter is written in legal language and signed by Mbappe, but it is dated July 15, 2022 – less than two months after he agreed a new deal with PSG on May 21 last year. That suggests that this approach may always have been the intention of Mbappe and his representatives, and that they have long been preparing for this moment – perhaps to cash in on a free transfer.

In response to a report that he wants to join Real, Mbappe wrote on Twitter: “Lies … I have already said that I will continue next season at PSG where I am very happy.” Before tweeting, he released a statement to Agence France-Presse insisting that PSG were informed orally “on July 15, 2022” of his decision not to activate an option to extend his contract. That is the date on the letter, but it was only received by the club on Monday.

“The only aim of the letter was to confirm what had already been spoken about previously,” the statement from Mbappe read. “The management of the club was informed as of July 15, 2022 of the decision [not to extend beyond 2024] and the objective of the letter was only to confirm what had already been clarified orally beforehand.”

It added: “After maintaining publicly in recent weeks that he would be a PSG player next season, Kylian Mbappe has not asked to leave this summer and has just confirmed to the club that he would not be activating the extra year.”

A PSG spokesman insisted talks over an extended deal had been going on for some time. He said: “It is emphatically untrue to say Mbappe’s team have not been involved in renewal discussions.” PSG have floated the prospect of a deal in which they would agree a fee for an eventual move but keep hold of the France striker for another season. That seems unlikely but it would take his time at PSG up until the Paris Olympics next summer, where he is expected to be in the France team.

Chelsea and Manchester City registered their interest in Mbappe when he was deciding on his future last year, but City have since signed Haaland, which raises questions over whether they would target him again.

PSG insiders say there was extreme surprise that the story about the letter appeared in the French sports daily newspaper L’Equipe before the club had even received a copy.

Mbappe has long been linked with Real and previously said he had always been a supporter of the club. They tried to sign him in 2021 for a fee of up to euros 200 million (pounds 171.9 million). He would fill the void left by Karim Benzema’s departure to Saudi Arabia.

After the 2021 pursuit, Mbappe looked set to move to Real on a free transfer at the expiry of his contract in 2022. Yet after exhaustive efforts by PSG and even a call from President Macron, the Parisian was persuaded to sign his present deal. At the time, La Liga was furious that it had missed out on Mbappe, saying it was “scandalous” PSG could hold on to the player despite heavy financial losses.

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Manchester United could be another option this summer, as they are searching for an elite striker.

Florentino Perez, the Real president, suggested at the weekend that Mbappe could be lured to the Spanish capital as a free agent, telling a fan that he would come to the club “but not this year”.

Mbappe has scored 212 goals in 260 games for PSG, while his hat-trick in last year’s World Cup final in Qatar cemented his status as one of the world’s best footballers.

Originally published as Kylian Mbappe rejects extension in bitter transfer row with Paris Saint-Germain