Superstar Mbappe in position of power at PSG
Paris, France - Kylian Mbappe’s decision to stay at Paris SaintGermain confirms the Qatarbacked club’s position of power within European football but also means the superstar striker is likely to wield huge influence as they rebuild for another assault on the Champions League.
The 23-year-old had for so long seemed certain to sign for Real Madrid before being persuaded to commit to a new three-year deal at PSG, the club he joined in 2017 from Monaco.
His new salary is set to be even more eye-watering than before and accompanied by an astronomical signing-on fee: there were reports that Real’s own offer included a signing-on fee of 150 million euros ($154m).
Yet PSG will also be determined to do everything they can to provide Mbappe with a team good enough to deliver finally the trophy he wants the most, and that the Qataris have chased without success since arriving in
Paris in 2011.
This season’s defeat in the last 16 to Real Madrid following a collapse in the second leg was just the latest humiliation for PSG in the Champions League, a series that most notably includes the 61 defeat to Barcelona in 2017.
Five years ago they reacted to that stinging loss by signing Neymar from Barcelona as well as a teenage Mbappe.
Now they have exacted revenge on Madrid by denying them Mbappe.
“I always said that Paris was my home. I hope I can carry on doing what I love most -– playing football and winning trophies,” the player said after the announcement of his new deal and before scoring a hat-trick in PSG’s 5-0 win over Metz on Saturday in their last game of the season.
Hours after that came the news that sporting director Leonardo -- heavily criticised by supporters -- had been fired.
Reports in France on Sunday suggested PSG may now look to replace Leonardo with Luis Campos, the Portuguese recruitment guru who helped build title-winning teams at Lille and Monaco and knows Mbappe well.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino is also expected to leave despite delivering the club’s French record-equalling 10th league title.
“I only found out a few minutes before the official announcement,” admitted the Argentine on Saturday when asked about Mbappe’s new deal.
Pochettino has struggled to stamp his mark at PSG, although it is not clear who they might look to as a successor – the possibility of Zinedine Zidane appears unlikely.
Then there is the team itself. “It is a big step forward, but there is still a lot of work to be done,” admitted captain Marquinhos following Mbappe’s decision to stay.
PSG’s recruitment of Lionel Messi has not worked out as hoped, the former Barcelona man managing just 11 goals in his first season in France. Messi won his seventh Ballon d’Or last year but will be 35 next month, while Neymar continues to struggle with his form and fitness.