Kylian Mbappe has made his decision. Arguably the brightest young talent in world football is staying at Paris Saint-Germain rather than joining UEFA Champions League finalists Real Madrid. PSG announced their contract extension until 2025 ahead of the side’s final Ligue 1 game of the season against FC Metz on Saturday. In a short video, Mbappe says “this is Paris” while standing high overlooking the Parc des Princes. The France international signed a three-year contract with Les Parisiens on Saturday.
The 23-year-old took to the field on Saturday wearing a jersey with 2025 printed on the back – the year his new contract runs through – and declared: “I’m very happy to stay in Paris – my city in the joy of the fans. “I’ve always said that Paris is my home.”
Mbappe has been the subject of intense speculation since last summer when a move to Real failed to materialize and the AS Monaco youth academy graduate will have to wait out the remaining 12 months of his contract before becoming a free agent this summer. CBS Sports sources have stated that PSG’s offer was marginally lower than Real’s in almost every aspect, but the player decided to stay in Paris given the personal and professional challenge it entailed.
“I would like to announce that I have decided to extend my contract with PSG and of course I am delighted,” Mbappe said in an official statement. “I am convinced that I can continue to grow here at a club that offers everything to play at the highest level. I’m also happy to continue playing in France, the country where I was born, grew up and where I am.” I’ve made a name for myself.”
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The French superstar came close to leading the Ligue 1 winners past Real in this season’s Champions League round of 16 but Mauricio Pochettino’s men threw it away at the Santiago Bernabeu, which seemed to tip the question of Mbappe’s future in Los Blancos’ favour.
The La Liga champions, meanwhile, have made it to the final and will now face Liverpool at the Stade de France in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis next weekend. Mbappe was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year for the third straight season last weekend and is off a 36-goal season, having scored 42 goals last season and at least in each of his last four PSG seasons scored 30 goals.
The news of Mbappe staying is absolutely massive for PSG as they aim to find European glory in the near future after going all out with the signing of Lionel Messi last summer. Keeping Mbappe allows the club to continue using him in attack alongside Messi and Neymar – assuming neither of them continue this summer.
PSG ended the Ligue 1 campaign at home to FC Metz on Saturday with a 5-0 win, Mbappe scoring three times. Initial reports suggest so PSG’s top target is Zinedine Zidane He replaces Pochettino as head coach, Luis Campos as sporting director and Ousmane Dembele in what is expected to be a summer of big changes in the French capital.
The Ligue 1 champions are making good on their promise to Mbappe to rebuild his sporting project with Pochettino and sporting director Leonardo gave an update on PSG’s intentions shortly after the Metz win.