Kylian Mbappe issues statement amid PSG exit reports
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) striker Kylian Mbappe has issued a statement regarding speculation that he has told the club that he will not be extending his contract.
L'Equipe reported on Monday (June 12) that Mbappe had sent the Parisians a letter informing them he would not be triggering the one-year option in his contract. His current deal expires in 2024, and he's also reportedly not willing to agree a new contract.
Kylian Mbappe has now released a statement in which he says that he has never discussed a new contract with PSG (via AFP News Agency):
"I have never discussed a contract extension with PSG."
He added:
"The board has been informed since July 15th, 2022 of my decision not to extend beyond 2024, and the letter sent was only meant to confirm what I already told them."
The aforementioned source claims that the Ligue 1 champions are infuriated by Mbappe's letter. They have taken the stance that either the Frenchman extends his stay at the Parc des Princes or get sold.
That has led to the 24-year-old being once again linked with a move to Real Madrid. Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna says that Los Blancos president Florentino Perez has been in talks with the striker for weeks and is set to pursue him this summer.
Madrid missed out on Mbappe last summer when he snubbed a move to the Santiago Bernabeu and signed a new two-year deal with PSG. That deal included a one-year option, which the Frenchman is seemingly not willing to trigger.
Kylian Mbappe joined the Parisians in 2018 from AS Monaco for €180 million, making him the second most expensive player in history. He has scored 212 goals and provided 98 assists in 260 appearances across competitions, winning five Ligue 1 titles.
Chelsea and Bayern Munich pull out of race for PSG's Kylian Mbappe
The race is seemingly now on for PSG striker Kylian Mbappe, as he appears to be made available for transfer by the Ligue 1 champions. There's expected to be plenty of interest in his services, with Real Madrid currently being the frontrunners.
However, two European heavyweights who aren't anticipated to make a move for the Frenchman are Chelsea and Bayern Munich. CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs claims that the Premier League club are not willing to enter the race for Mbappe this summer.
Meanwhile, Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg says that the Bavarians are put off by the finances involved in any deal for the Parisians striker. The package including transfer fee and wages is not affordable for the Bundesliga champions.