The forward insists he won't depart the club this summer, while the Parisians have frozen him out of the squad – who will break first?
In France they call them the 'loft.' In English, it roughly translates as 'bomb squad.' They're Paris Saint-Germain's outcast group, forced to train separately from Luis Enrique's first-team group. They have little chance of playing for the club this season, and are simply kicking a ball about, awaiting a loan move or permanent transfer. There are many familiar faces here: Julien Draxler, Gini Wijnaldum and Leandro Paredes have been there for a while; it seems Neymar and Marco Verratti have since been added in the final week of pre-season.
There's also Kylian Mbappe. Once vice-captain, superstar, and assumed Parisian for at least the next 10 months, Mbappe has been assigned to PSG purgatory, well away from the team he was supposed to lead to a Ligue 1 title this year.
The reason for his exile is clear. Mbappe has informed the club that he won't renew his contract that is due to expire in June. PSG, in return, have put him up for sale, and might be forced into letting one of the world's best leave. For his part, Mbappe has turned around and insisted he is going nowhere.
This kind of thing has happened before, though. The Parisians have been publicly pushed around by Mbappe for much of his six-year stay in the French capital, a string of events in which PSG have eventually caved to his demands. But it looks different now. PSG have taken a stand, and are at least trying to demonstrate that no one — not even Mbappe — is more important than the club.
It's an admirable show of strength for a nation-state marketing tool whose footballing prowess is admittedly limited. They are entering new territory here, and taking a stand against one of their star players, silencing one of the most desirable assets in their portfolio — suggesting that, for once, there might be other, more practical, sporting priorities in Paris. How long it lasts, though, remains to be seen.
GettyHometown kid with unlimited power
Mbappe has always been aware of his power in Paris. Here was a hometown kid, returning to the city of his birth, the Parisian in a team full of global stars. PSG ultras coveted a world-class French footballer to be the face of the team. Mbappe was that — and he knew it. Whatever perceived pressure of the role didn't get to him, either.
Mbappe has scored at least 25 goals in each of his last three seasons at PSG. He has five Ligue 1 Golden Boots to his name, and seems set to be at least a Ballon d'Or finalist this year. Throw in a World Cup win — claimed at just 19 — and there arguably isn't a more successful footballer who so easily embodies his club and country.
This was particularly clear last summer. Mbappe was on the verge of leaving PSG, and, depending on which of the multitude of stories you believe, had all-but agreed to fulfil a childhood dream and join Real Madrid. But the Parisians realised they couldn't afford to lose him, so they caved to every single financial and symbolic demand. Mbappe was made the highest-paid player in history, and anointed de-facto footballing adviser. Mbappe even received a phone call from the French Prime Minister, begging him to stay.
Mbappe accepted the terms. His contract gave him the option to leave in 2024, and included a 'loyalty bonus' for every additional season he played. Mbappe could, theoretically, become immensely wealthy for two years — before bolting for a new project.
But there was also a more sinister, implicit element to the deal. Mbappe had won the negotiations and carved out a very specific role in Paris. He was now the most powerful person at the club, and could, both publically and privately, dictate decision making.
AdvertisementGettyA series of failures
Whether Mbappe was entirely aware of the extent of his influence remains unclear. It is also difficult, and perhaps unfair, to accuse a 24-year-old of being some sort of insidious supervillain dictating the moves of an organisation. There are, presumably, no evil lairs or secret meetings here. But he certainly knew how much weight his words would carry.
So, Mbappe has gone about the last year moulding club storylines, and having a material impact on both public relations policies and footballing decisions. The list of perceived grievances is lengthy.
First, it was his desire to sign a striker to play alongside him, something he made clear in a passive-aggressive interview. The club swiftly entered negotiations for Goncalo Ramos, but were barred from signing him due to Financial Fair Play restrictions. A few months later, it was revealed that Mbappe was unhappy at the club, and wanted to leave. It dragged manager Christophe Galtier and Luis Campos into a media storm, the two giving conflicting statements in the days after the story broke. Mbappe flatly denied the rumour — not that many believed him.
Then, in February, Mbappe took issue with a PSG season ticket promotional campaign. The video, encouraging fans to renew their seats for the 2023-24 season, featured Mbappe — but made no mention of either Lionel Messi or Neymar. Once a few keen eyes noted their absence, Mbappe released a statement, claiming 'it isn't Kylian Saint-Germain' and denying that he had any role in the video that he himself narrated. PSG quickly removed it.
There have been other incidents, too. Mbappe criticised PSG's squad depth following their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich. He took on the vice-captaincy, something that Presnel Kimpembe, vice-captain at the time, was not made aware of. He called the club "divisive" while on international duty.
And then, it was leaked that he would not be taking up the one-year option in his contract to stay until the summer of 2025. PSG claimed that he had only made it clear in early June;Mbappe said he had told them months ago.
web psgScrubbed from the club
The PSG of old would have done everything to keep their superstar. They would have thrown even more money at him, allowed him to train with the first team, and shared pictures of him smiling on social media. Every Mbappe goal would be met with the public adulation of the club. The posters would remain up; the media campaigns would continue to circulate; the kits would still fly off the shelves.
Except, they haven't. None of those things have happened. Mbappe has been silenced, cast aside. The giant billboard on the side of Parc des Princes, a massive picture showing Mbappe in celebration, has been taken down. He is no longer on the club's website homepage. His kits and sponsored products can no longer be bought at PSG stores. He did not appear at the club media day. He has only made one pre-season appearance, a 10-minute cameo in a training-ground friendly with Le Havre (inevitably, he scored).
Mbappe was once the face and soul of this project. Now, he's been expertly scrubbed from the club's fabric. He is not entirely forgotten — Mbappe is far too big for that — but his association with PSG is steadily being removed. Meanwhile, the club have been active in the transfer market in their attempts to sell him. Mbappe, they have admitted publicly, is allowed to leave the club. As expected, there are numerous interested parties for a 25-year-old superstar who will arguably only get better.
PSG have already accepted a bid from Al-Hilal — although Mbappe turned the Saudi Pro League club down. They are reportedly in active negotiations with other parties, too. There has been faint Premier League interest, while an offer from Real Madrid seems likely to arrive before the end of the transfer window.
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GettyA team trying to move on
Elsewhere, a team has been assembled without him. PSG's transfer business is overblown and over-analysed every year — mostly because the new signings tend to cave to the desires of Mbappe and whichever megastars the club employs at the time. But this is a planning for an Mbappe-less future, and something vaguely interesting is happening.
The Parisians have addressed numerous areas of need with sneakily good deals and promising prospects. Manuel Ugarte and Lee Kang-in won't sell many shirts, but both are under 24, and appear to be a good fit for this new iteration of PSG, overseen by Luis Enrique. Milan Skriniar and Marco Asensio, brought in on free transfers, will add valuable experience. Ousmane Dembele and Lucas Hernandez are risky additions, given their injury history, but the potential is certainly there.
And the summer's big signing, Ramos, will certainly provide some of the goals missing due to Mbappe's absence. There could be some more activity to come. Verratti wants out, and will likely seal a Saudi Pro League deal soon. Neymar has also been told to find another club. Both will certainly need replacing.
Pieced together, it looks very much like a well-assembled side, with a good mix of youth and experience. Perhaps more importantly, though, PSG look nothing like the series of squads that pandered to Mbappe for years. There is a clear balance, an obvious system, and a manager to lead it all. Mbappe, now, would be a luxury addition, not the focal point of an imperfect side.