Kylian Mbappe has reportedly finally reached a decision on his future at Paris Saint-Germain, with the French international set to be the subject of a major bidding war after his contract entered its final year.
The 22-year-old has spent four years at the Parc des Princes, winning three Ligue 1 titles and three Coupe de France trophies.
After moving to PSG from Monaco having won the French title, Mbappe has cemented his status as one of the best young footballers in the world.
His talents though have not quite been matched by his club, with PSG still yet to win a Champions League title and finishing as runners-up to Lille in the league last season.
Sporting director Leonardo has heavily backed manager Mauricio Pochettino in the transfer market so far this summer.
The French giants have made statement signings with the arrivals of Georginio Wijnaldum, Sergio Ramos and Gianluigi Donnarumma on free transfers.
They have also added Achraf Hakimi, who was wanted by Chelsea, and Danilo Periera to their squad for the upcoming season.
Arguably their most important piece of business was tying superstar attacker Neymar down to a new long-term contract.
Pochettino’s squad then has the makings of a true contender for the Champions League as the Argentine looks to guide a recovery from a seriously disappointing first six months in charge.
At the heart of those plans had been Mbappe, who scored an astonishing 42 goals in all competitions last season as he won the Ligue 1 golden boot.
But Pochettino’s hopes of turning PSG into the best team in Europe have now suffered a serious blow.
According to Marca, Mbappe has told his manager that he does not intend to sign a new deal when his contract expires at the end of the coming season.
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Having returned to pre-season training after an extended break following his exploits with France at Euro 2020, Mbappe informed Pochettino of his stance on his future.
The Spanish publication does report though that Mbappe has made it clear to the Argentine that he will not attempt to force through an exit this summer.
While that decision is due to the respect he holds for a club that has turned him into a superstar, it is clear that he has no plans to stay in the French capital beyond next summer.
That is despite the fact that PSG are understood to have met Mbappe’s financial demands in full.
(Image: REUTERS)
Instead, Marca claim that he is keen to move to a true European powerhouse and compete for the Champions League trophy.
Mbappe’s decision to depart Ligue 1 will now kickstart a major bidding war between several of Europe’s leading sides.
Real Madrid have long been considered as the frontrunners, but Marca state they are still waiting for the “ideal moment” to begin their move.
Club president Florentino Perez is keen to maintain his relationship with PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi and will wait for the “right time” to begin negotiations.
Liverpool have also been linked with a move for the 22-year-old, while Manchester City will almost certainly be interested in a move.
That sets up an intriguing battle for the final weeks of the transfer window, with PSG now being forced into selling Mbappe this summer to avoid seeing him leave on a free transfer next year.
