05 July 2023 , 16:57
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Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi has put the ball in Kylian Mbappe's court after insisting the club won't be letting their star striker walk away for free next summer.
Mbappe left PSG chiefs stunned in June when sent a letter to the club to inform them he would not be triggering a one-year extension in his contract. His current deal runs out in June 2024, meaning he would then be eligible to leave the Ligue 1 champions on a free transfer.
That scenario would represent a disastrous one for the Parisian giants, having signed him from Monaco in 2018 in a deal worth over £150million. As well as making the now 24-year-old the most expensive teenager of all time, they have also forked out extortionate wages and bonuses to the French international in a bid to keep him at the club.
Real Madrid appears his most likely destination, with the 14-time Champions League winners still irate after failing in a bid to sign him last year. But Al-Khelaifi has now publicly challenged Mbappe's apparent intention to saunter off to Spain in 12 months' time, accusing him of going back on his word.
“Mbappe has said that he will not leave for free," he told reporters. "If he changed his mind, it is not my fault." Indeed, L'Equipe reports that PSG have given Mbappe until the end of July to extend his contract, or they will put him up for sale.
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"We do not want him to leave for free in 2024," he added. “Our position is clear. If Kylian wants to stay, we want him to stay. But he needs to sign a new contract. We don’t want to lose the best player in the world for free, it’s impossible."
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His stance comes on the same day that ex-Barcelona manager Luis Enrique was appointed the new head coach of PSG. The 53-year-old Spaniard replaces Christophe Galtier, who was sacked despite winning the Ligue 1 title in his maiden season in charge.
Inevitably, his opening press conference soon centred around Mbappe, who has 212 goals in 260 games for the club. But he vowed to keep discussions with the World Cup final hat trick hero out of the limelight.
"When I signed, we always remain open. A lot of things can happen," he said. "I will keep it private as it's professional secrecy. I cannot give confidences but we will try to make the best possible squad for PSG."