Countdown Begins On Kylian Mbappé’s Future At PSG

PARIS: As the New Year begins, so does the countdown on Kylian Mbappé's future.

It promises to be a nervous start to 2024 for Paris SaintGermain and its fans with speculation set to intensify about their prolific striker, one of only two players in soccer history to score a hat trick in a World Cup final.

Mbappé began this season in a transfer standoff with his club after not taking up the option of a 12-month extension into 2025. It means that, starting January 1, he can openly talk to other clubs or even sign a pre-contract agreement with long-time suitor Real Madrid or Premier League leader Liverpool.

Mbappé can do so because his contract runs out in June, when he can leave the defending French champion for free, having joined from Monaco — initially on loan in 2017 — for 180 million euros (now $199 million).

The France star is PSG's alltime leading scorer with 233 goals despite only recently turning 25, and has already netted some 46 goals for Les Bleus.

But it has been frustrating at times for Mbappé at PSG, which failed to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League in the last two seasons and has scraped through to the last 16 in second place this season.

Despite having scored 21 goals in 22 games in all competitions so far this season,

Mbappé failed to make his mark when PSG lost 4-1 at Newcastle and 2-1 at AC Milan.

His frustration has been seen in some of PSG's league games over the past three seasons, when bad defending and a lack of teamwork has led to soft goals being conceded.

Mbappé has said he wants to win the Ballon d'Or — soccer's most prestigious individual prize — and the Champions League. But whether he can win either with PSG remains to be seen and, at age 25, the time could be right for him to leave PSG as he enters his peak years.