Kylian Mbappe: PSG star and Madrid target close to decision on future after winning Ligue 1 award
Kylian Mbappe has revealed he will announce a decision regarding his future before linking up with the France national team for June’s Nations League fixtures.
With his contract with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain due to expire next month, Mbappe has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Conflicting reports have suggested PSG are confident of tying the 23-year-old to a new deal in the French capital, while the hierarchy at the Bernabeu are sure of luring him to Spain.
Mbappe, a 2018 World Cup winner, has scored 36 goals and provided 21 assists for PSG this season, firing the Parisiens to the 10th Ligue 1 title in the club’s history.
His total of 57 goal contributions this season can only be bettered by international team-mate Karim Benzema (59) among players in the top-five European leagues this season.
Speaking at the annual Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionels (UNFP) award ceremony in Paris, where he was named the best player in the French top flight for a third time in four years (there was no winner for the curtailed 2019-20 campaign), Mbappe revealed he will soon make an announcement on where he intends to play next term.
While Mbappe was less forthright on his future than was the case at the 2019 ceremony, where he made headlines by discussing the potential of a “new project”, he later said all will become clear by the time he meets up with his national team at the end of the month.
“I made this mistake three years ago to monopolise the ceremony. I want to participate in the ceremony, not seek glory,” Mbappe said, as reported by RMC.
“We will know very quickly, it’s almost over. My choice is made, yes, almost.”
Speaking to journalists in the mixed zone after picking up the award, Mbappe said: “I will officially announce my decision on the future before I join the France national team in June.”
Mbappe later expressed his delight at retaining the Ligue 1 prize in a social media post, writing on Twitter: “Best player in Ligue 1 for the third consecutive season. An immense pride to write history once again. This recognition warms my heart. And of course, thank you to all of my club and the fans for the trust granted this season.”
Having scored and provided two assists in PSG’s 4-0 victory over Montpellier on Saturday, Mbappe has been involved in 245 goals in all competitions since making his PSG debut in September 2017 (168 goals, 77 assists).
That total is at least 98 more than any other player has managed for the club in the same period (Neymar is second with 147 goal contributions).
France are due to play four Nations League matches in June, facing a double-header against 2018 World Cup final opponents Croatia, as well as a home clash with Denmark and a trip to Austria.
