The grapevine is buzzing with news that Paris Saint-Germain starlet Kylian Mbappe is reportedly set to make a totally unexpected u-turn to sign a new contract at the Parc des Princes instead of joining Real Madrid. The La Liga giants could well be caught with their jaws dropping embarrassingly as the forward had all this while been heavily rumoured to be joining the Spanish giants on a free transfer in the summer with Los Blancos president Florentino Perez almost brazenly thumping his chest with the supposed ‘achievement’ of luring the French striker away from the Parisian juggernauts.
Mbappe is free to walk away on his Bosman status end of the season and there is no shortage of elite clubs keen to procure his services upon the expiration of his contract. The Los Madridistas’ financial power, coupled with the French World Cup winner’s fervor and willingness to join the 13-time Champions League winners, had put Florentino Perez’s men firmly in pole position to acquire Mbappe all this while.
To this end, multiple reports had suggested the Frenchman was headed to the Bernabeu in the summer, with mind-boggling wages set as the carrot. But according to RMC Sport journalist Daniel Riola, the Bondy-born star now apparently looks set to stay in France with a new contract expected to be signed at the Parisian club.
The same report alleges that an announcement will be made in May, with club chiefs desirous of Mbappe to be in their squad once the World Cup comes around, as he is expected to star for France in Qatar.
Mbappe himself touched on his future earlier last week after his superb performance together with his PSG strike-force mates Lionel Messi and Neymar in the 5-1 drubbing of Lorient. Discernibly, a door appears to have been opened hinting at a stay at the Parc des Princes as he confirmed he has yet to make a decision on his future.
“There is no need to talk a lot,” Mbappe said firmly.
“There are new elements that I will consider for my future. It’s not an easy decision, my family will help me. I don’t want to make any mistakes. My choice hasn’t been made, the whole world knows that”.
Mbappe, 23, joined PSG in a £160-million deal from Monaco when he was just 18 years of age and immediately shot to prominence with a string of impressive performances for the Monegasques, bagging 26 goals in just 44 games before his move to the capital.
Since then he has scored 190 goals in just 281 games for PSG, alongside scoring 26 goals in 54 games for the French national team – for whom he scored four goals at the 2018 World Cup, including a goal in the final against Croatia.