Uncertainty about Kylian Mbappe’s future looms over French football as the new Ligue 1 season begins this weekend.
The Paris Saint-Germain star has won France’s player of the year award four years in a row and has led Ligue 1 in scoring for five straight seasons, but his contract battle with the champions has dominated headlines all summer.
Mbappe has declined to sign a contract extension with PSG, allowing him to depart for free next year, with Real Madrid long considered his favourite destination.
PSG wants to sell him immediately and collect a large transfer price for a player who cost 180 million euros ($198 million) from Monaco in 2017.
A stand-off has ensued, and for now Mbappe remains in Paris but has been reduced to training apart from the first team.
“We can’t let the best player in the world today leave for free. It’s impossible,” said the Qatar-owned club’s president, Nasser al-Khelaifi, last month.
The situation is far from ideal for PSG’s new coach, Luis Enrique, who was appointed to replace Christophe Galtier.
Whatever happens with Mbappe, PSG have a different look after limping to the title last season and failing to impress in Europe.
Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi have both left. Even if Mbappe stays, they needed attacking reinforcements, and Portugal forward Goncalo Ramos has joined from Benfica.
With the additions of Lucas Hernandez, Milan Skriniar, Manuel Ugarte, Lee Kang-in, and Marco Asensio, they appear to be stronger across the board.
“I could have stayed at Bayern Munich, but the interest PSG showed in me, their ambition and the project they are trying to put in place for the future convinced me to come,” Hernandez told sports daily L’Equipe.
PSG begin as overwhelming favourites to win a 10th title in 12 years, but their domestic rivals might sense their chance if Mbappe moves on.
