Paris Saint-Germain will have to sell Kylian Mbappe this summer after he informed the club he won’t be signing a contract extension.
It all began with a snapshot from the past. An image of a young Kylian Mbappe leaning against the wall while sitting on his childhood bed is surrounded by a collage of Cristiano Ronaldo posters. There isn’t a single blank square in his room; everything is covered in a Real Madrid legend.
That picture originally surfaced in 2017, when the then-Monaco forward was looking for a new team. At the age of 18, he was already considered one of the top attackers in the world. He made PSG his current choice, delaying his early ambitions. Yet he was always expected to play for Real Madrid at some point.
It is currently applicable once more after six years. Mbappe told PSG yesterday that he will not be extending his deal, which is up at the conclusion of the next campaign. Less than a year prior, he turned down offers from Madrid and pledged at least another two years of his career to Paris.
The Parisians are now in a classic football predicament; they can either sell Mbappe now or risk losing him for free in a year. And Los Blancos still lurk.
PSG have adamantly declared that Mbappe will not leave the club for free under any circumstances. They insist that he will either change his mind and pen a new long-term contract, or leave for a handsome fee this summer.
And now might just be the time to cash in. Mbappe is among the best players in the world, and a Paris native. But he’s also always had one eye on the Spanish capital. And at this point, when in need of striker, Madrid are almost certain to pay up.
So, PSG have been gifted the chance for Mbappe to leave on the most favourable terms possible, and they should take it. This is no longer about the idealism of a local kid, or the Ligue 1 title he would inevitably deliver next season. Instead, the Parisians face a financial decision, one intrinsically tied to the success of their side for years to come. Mbappe must be sold.
