Bernice Larryoboh
Kylian Mbappe has reportedly planned to leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires next summer.
The 24-year-old French international only penned a new two-year contract with the French champions last year, with the option of a third year when it expires in June 2024.
But, the New York Times reported that Mbappe has told PSG in a letter that he will not take up the final year, and thus will be free to leave the club next summer.
The decision means that Kylian Mbappe would be able to leave for nothing at the end of next season, and could agree a pre-contract move with a club outside France from January 2024. That could force PSG to entertain selling the player in the current transfer window in order to avoid losing him for nothing.
L’Equipe are believed to have contacted the club for comment when they were given a copy of the letter before PSG received it.
The situation is similar to last summer when Real Madrid had looked set to sign the player only for Kylian Mbappe to decide to renew with the French capital club. While the news is something of a shock, it is not without context. The club was reported to have engaged a company to use Twitter accounts to criticize its own players, including Mbappe.
Mbappe was a star player for France at last year’s World Cup, winning the Golden Boot and firing a hat-trick in the shootout defeat to Argentina in the final, and he had looked set to become even more important at his current side.
