three questions to understand the showdown between Kylian Mbappé and PSG

The showdown between Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappé took an unexpected turn on Friday 21 July. The capital club has decided to do without the services of its star striker for its tour of Japan, which starts on Monday. The 24-year-old is “on sale now“, learned the sports direction of Radio France from a source close to the club, on Friday 21 July. Franceinfo sport answers the main questions that arise around this new episode of the soap opera between club and the captain of the French team.

Why does Nasser Al-Khelaïfi start an arm wrestling match?

“PSG are tied hand and foot”, sports economist Mickaël Terrien explained to us, after the ultimatum launched by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi at a press conference in early July. The Parisian president had revealed that he was awaiting the decision of the Bondy native in “maximum two weeks”i.e. before July 31st. While the player’s contract expires at the end of June 2024, the interested party communicated to the club, in June, the decision not to activate the option for a further year.

As revealed by Radio France’s sports management, the Frenchman’s contractual situation hasn’t changed since his return to training on Monday. The club will then be in discussions with prospective buyers from 1 August, once his contract extension option expires.

Why is Kylian Mbappé not on the list of players leaving for Japan?

By setting a deadline for the captain of France, the Parisian president had already wanted to prove it “that the establishment is strong, possibly pushing for a departure giving the impression that PSG are not losing entirely”, Mickael Terrien explained it to us.

The non-selection of Kylian Mbappé for the tour in Japan goes in the same direction. It allows the club to strike a double blow: on the one hand, to put pressure on the player, on the other, to show that PSG are holding the cards in hand.

“Nobody’s Above the Club”recalled Nasser Al-Khelaïfi during a training session on Tuesday, in comments broadcast by France Bleu Paris. The star will therefore remain in Paris with players considered undesirable (Argentine midfielder Paredes, German full-back Julian Draxler), which PSG wants to get rid of.

Kylian Mbappé has not reacted so far. “My goal [est] continue, stay at the club, it’s my only option at the moment”he said in mid-June during a press conference with the Blues.

Why do PSG absolutely want to sell Kylian Mbappé this summer?

The fear of seeing one of the best players in the world leave for free next year is enough to justify the pressure exerted by Paris Saint-Germain. Kylian Mbappé’s value is estimated at 180 million euros, according to the reference site Transfermarkt. PSG had already had to face a similar problem last year: when his contract expired, the 2018 world champion was given away to Real Madrid, before finally choosing to stay in Paris.

For Christophe Lepetit, sports economist, the best option for the capital club would be “Mbappé will probably exercise his option for one more year”with an ongoing contract therefore until 30 June 2025, “and transfer it next summer”. “Replacing him will certainly require considerable time and resources, which a sale of the player next summer could offer”continues the expert.

For now, the trend has turned towards an immediate sale of Kylian Mbappé. The sooner his transfer is decided, the sooner PSG start the process to find a replacement for the 24-year-old player. However, “Kylian Mbappé belongs to the category of superstars on the transfer market, which means that he is hardly replaceable with other players”recalls Christophe Lepetit.