Paris Saint Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe has told Real Madrid he will join them in 2024, AS has reported, which could complicate Lionel Messi’s potential return to FC Barcelona.
The 24-year-old looked all set to swap the French capital for its Spanish counterpart on a free transfer last year. At the last minute, however, in the spring, Mbappe decided to perform a U-turn and extend his contract at the Parc des Princes.
A generous renewal bonus and improved salary from his Qatari employers allowed Mbappe to top Forbes’ list of the World’s Highest-paid Soccer Players in 2022. This was achieved through earnings of $128 million – $110 million of which were made off-field while $18 million came off-field.
This week, L’Equipe reported that Mbappe is the highest-earning player in France while taking home €6 million ($6.5 million) every month.
Yet while Madrid might not be able to match PSG in terms of salaries, the record 14-time winners can offer the youngster the chance to win the Champions League.
After clinching the World Cup aged 19, and the Ligue 1 title numerous times, the continental club competition is Mbappe’s White Whale.
With PSG falling short again this year, and being dumped out at the last 16 by Bayern Munich, AS reports that Mbappe wants to leave this summer. Because PSG don’t seem willing to open the exit door as things stand, however, he will have to wait another season.
Such is Mbappe’s desire to try something new, though, he has reportedly told the higher-ups at the Bernabeu that he will join by the 2024-2025 season at the latest.
There is “nothing and nobody” that “can make him change his mind or hinder his departure to Madrid” according to sources close to the player that spoke to AS.
This might confuse those who remember Mbappe being paraded around with a PSG shirt that had ‘2025’ on the back of it when his contract extension was unveiled.
As PSG will obviously not win the Champions League, though, a special clause that would have kept him in their shirt until 2025 is now null and void, and Mbappe can leave in summer next year.
AS says that Mbappe has called a meeting with the PSG board at the end of the season to tell them he wishes to finally flee to Real Madrid, and this will put a severe dent in the French league leaders’ sporting project.
Furthermore, it may also complicate teammate Lionel Messi’s potential return to FC Barcelona. Messi is a free agent on June 30, and Mundo Deportivo has reported on Friday that PSG have offered him “more money and more years” to stay.
If Mbappe has truly had enough of life with his current outfit, however, they may intensify their attempt to renew Messi and make the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner an offer he can’t refuse.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomsanderson/2023/03/31/kylian-mbappe-tells-real-madrid-he-will-join-in-2024-and-leave-paris-saint-germainreports/