Seoul Gazette - PSG tightlipped over Mbappe switch to Real Madrid

NYSE - LSE

CMSC	-0.3%	21.725	$
CMSD	-0.09%	21.98	$
BCC	1.77%	77.84	$
RIO	-0.32%	91.22	$
BTI	1.84%	60.96	$
GSK	1.19%	51.35	$
RBGPF	-1.11%	66	$
BCE	0.42%	21.3	$
AZN	0.58%	169.26	$
JRI	1.23%	13.06	$
NGG	-0.09%	82.3	$
VOD	-0.66%	15.15	$
RELX	4.5%	34.41	$
BP	-0.25%	43.82	$
RYCEF	-1.05%	18.17	$

PSG tightlipped over Mbappe switch to Real Madrid

SPORTS 04.02.2024

PSG tightlipped over Mbappe switch to Real Madrid / Photo: © AFP

With just six months remaining on his contract at Paris Saint-Germain Kylian Mbappe's much vaunted move to Real Madrid continues to dominate French football news.

Text size:

The transfer window closed last week with Mbappe insisting he is yet to decide where he will play after this current deal with PSG concludes at the end of June, when he becomes a free agent.

On Saturday both ESPN and the 'Parisien' daily newspaper reported, without naming their source, that the superstar striker would leave France and join the world's biggest club Real Madrid.

A source at the French club told AFP on Sunday, however, there had been no change in the longstanding deadlock.

He has "not informed the club of any decision", said the source, despite there being an agreement that the PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi will be first to know when his decision is made.

Mbappe last spoke on the issue in cryptic terms in early January.

"I haven't made my decision, I haven't made my choice. But we have an agreement with the president (Al-Khelaifi) which means that all parties are protected," the 25-year-old told French television.

The France captain who is expected to head the Olympic team at the 2024 Paris Games added he would inform Khelaifi first and announce the news himself once any decision had been made.

PSG coach Luis Enrique, a former Real player, said Thursday, ahead of a game where Mbappe scored his 20th league goal of the season, that the player had revealed nothing to him personally.

What does appear certain is that Mbappe has signed no deal as yet but is, in fact, locked in negotiations with Madrid over the size of his salary, an issue where the Qatar-backed PSG could easily match Real.

Mbappe is paid some 70 million euros (75.6 million dollars) a year already and as a free agent will be able to negotiate a blockbuster signing on fee on top of any salary increase.

PSG themselves appear to be pulling out all the stops to cling on to Mbappe'a sublime skills after allowing Lionel Messi and Neymar to leave the capital.

Neither Messi nor Neymar have been missed as new arrivals such as Randal Kolo Muani and Marco Asnesio have struck up an understanding with Mbappe.

If the 2018 World Cup winner and 2022 World Cup top scorer does join Madrid in July, he would join English sensation the 20-year-old Jude Bellingham and Brazilian strikers Rodrygo and Vinicius, one of whom would have to make way for the Frenchman.

F.Cha--SG

Featured

Joshua survives knockdowns, stops Prenga

Two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua survived two early knockdowns on the way to a second-round knockout of Kristian Prenga on Sunday, his triumphant ring return paving the way for a blockbuster all-British bout with Tyson Fury.

Ohtani delays throwing session over knee 'regression'

Japanese batting and pitching star Shohei Ohtani postponed a planned bullpen throwing session on Saturday over what Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called "regression" in his left knee injury.

Hiltz extends US 1,500 streak, Lyles advances in 200

Nikki Hiltz captured her fourth consecutive 1,500-meter US outdoor title while Noah Lyles and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden cruised into the 200m finals on Saturday at the US Athletics Championships.

Hodge, Hope give West Indies edge in rain-impacted Pakistan Test

Kavem Hodge's dogged unbeaten 83 and the support of Shai Hope in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand took the West Indies to 194 for three at the end of a rain-shortened first day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad on Saturday.