PSG President vows: I won’t let Mbappe leave for free

Paris Saint-Germain President, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, says PSG forward, Kylian Mbappe, must sign a new contract if he wants to stay at the club.

Al-Khelaifi made the declaration while speaking with reporters after unveiling former Spain coach, Luis Enrique, as the club’s new manager on Wednesday.

Mbappe sent a letter to PSG last month stating he had no intention of extending his contract, which expires in 2024, meaning he could leave for free next summer – a situation Al-Khelaifi is desperate to avoid.

The France forward later clarified he had not asked the club to allow him to move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, who have tried and failed to land the World Cup winner in the past.

PSG face the dilemma of allowing Mbappe to run down the final 12 months of his contract and being unable to recoup any of the €180 million (£153.8 million) they spent to sign him from Monaco in 2017.

The PSG President said: “My position is very clear. I don’t want to repeat it every time: if Kylian wants to stay, we want him to stay. But he needs to sign a new contract.

“We don’t want to lose the best player in the world for free. We can’t do that. This is a French club.

“He said he would never leave for free. If he changes his mind today, it’s not my fault. We don’t want to lose the best player in the world for free, that’s very clear.”

Mbappe has finished as Ligue 1’s top scorer in the last five seasons and PSG will be eager to keep him having already lost Lionel Messi on a free transfer.

Messi, a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, opted not to renew his contract for a move to Inter Miami.

Mbappe also said French President, Emmanuel Macron, had no influence on his career choices after the leader said he would push for the forward to stay in the country’s capital.

The Star