Well, the French Galácticos era of PSG is coming to an abrupt, swift, and decisive end. PSG and club president Nassar Al-Khelafi have come out harshly and said that Kylian Mbappe MUST LEAVE the club this summer if he wants to leave as they’re not going to let him walk for free.
There’s never a dull moment in Paris, and that goes double for PSG.
After yet another terrible year for PSG as they underachieved in the league (aka: not winning the Ligue 1 title by 10+ points), failed to do anything in the Champions League (eliminated in the Round of 16), and not winning the Coupe de France, Paris Saint-Germain is now facing their biggest issue yet as superstar forward Kylian Mbappe has rejected all contract offers and will leave for free at the end of next season. And, even though it’s never great when you have to get into a fight with your superstar, PSG has to set boundaries if they hope to rebuild with Mbappe on the roster.
This is really the biggest disaster PSG has faced since the Qatari ownership took over the club in 2011. Not only is Kylian Mbappe the best, most marketable, and most electric superstar player on the current PSG roster, but he’s also arguably the greatest player in the world and one of the few players who can dominate a club through his playing talents alone.
PSG have already bent over backwards and then some to keep Mbappe on the team for as long as they have with the contract extension Mbappe signed a few seasons ago that paid him at least $70M+ (but most likely at least $50M more) per year, say in club signings and coaching hires, say in his position on the field and matchday squads, and percentages of shirt sales, merchandise sales with his image, etc.
All in all, Mbappe is getting paid a king’s ransom to suit up for PSG and the club was perfectly content with paying him…until Mbappe revealed his desire to ditch the City of Love after this upcoming season. Yes, in classic Kylian Mbappe fashion, the French superstar came out a month or so ago and publicly issued a letter to the club detailing his plans on NOT signing his contract extension.
Now, as far as I’m aware, Mbappe is denying that his team leaked the departure letter to the media as he’s still committed to playing for the club this season. And, even though PSG fans and the executives are probably incensed, that is the guys right as his contract runs out at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Kylian Mbappe isn’t indebted to the club even though they bought him from Monaco and helped turned him into the global superstar he is today. In fact, I think Mbappe’s perfectly within his right to leave PSG after next season as he’s not only fulfilling the contract given to him, but he’s also been one of the few players who actually meaningfully contributed during the French Galácticos era (ex: he’s led the club in scoring in each of the last 5 seasons).
I don’t like how everything Mbappe does is the most public and gossipiest story of the summer, but he’s not doing anything underhanded or sneaky like forcing a move out of the club. He’s just leaving when his contract expires.
Nevertheless, PSG have to sell Mbappe this season if they hope to get even $120M for the guy as no one is going to offer even a pound for him once January rolls around. Under new manager Luis Enrique, PSG must go into a massive rebuild of how the roster is constructed and what players are emphasized in the first team as the French Galácticos era ended up being a MASSIVE FAILURE. And this fallout with Mbappe proves it.
I believe Enrique is the right guy to turn PSG around and get them playing good, attractive football, but he needs complete control over the team if he is to do so. He doesn’t need hyped up superstars or meddlesome executives to mess with his team plans or else PSG will find themselves right back where they started.
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