Kylian Mbappé has been tipped to stay at Paris Saint-Germain next season, despite rumors growing that he will leave the club at the end of the season.
The French superstar’s contract at PSG expires in the summer, and he informed the club last year that he is not planning on extending his current deal, despite having the option of an extra year. Real Madrid and Liverpool have both been linked with a move for Mbappé, with the former seen as the favorite to land his signature.
It was reported by ESPN earlier this month that Anfield and the Bernabeu were the ‘most likely destinations’ this summer. PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi though still believes Mbappé can be persuaded to stay in Paris.
“Look, I am not trying to hide anything,” Al Khelaïfi said on the Rothen s’enflamme RMC podcast. “I want Kylian Mbappé to stay at PSG. He’s the best player in the world and the best club for him is PSG. He is central to our project. We have done a lot of things, some have worked more than others.
“We have made mistakes and this is normal. Now we have a young team, with French players, and we are not in a hurry, this is for the long term.
“We have put together a team that is solid on a technical level and our system of play has been changed and it is a pleasure to watch this team. We play as a team, we defend as a team, it is magnificent.”
Mbappé’s exit has looked inevitable for some time after his relationship with PSG seemed to hit breaking point last summer. Former PSG manager Luis Fernandez though has backed the 25-year-old to stay in Ligue 1 next season.
“[I think that] he will stay at PSG,” Fernandez told beIN Sports. “When I hear everyone’s statements, from the president of PSG, who takes the initiative and talks about the issue, when I see Kylian doing the same after a match about a signed agreement, when I see that PSG wants to invest in this new technical center.
“We have brought Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele, who are friends that Kylian wanted to have by his side. I think he will stay at PSG next season.”
