Millennium Post (Kolkata)

Kylian Mbappé signs new 3-year PSG deal after rejecting Real Madrid

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PARIS: Kylian Mbappé celebrated with fans at Parc des Princes then scored a hat trick after signing a new three-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday and turning down the chance again to join Real Madrid.

Before PSG beat Metz 5-0 in its final home game, France's World Cup-winning star stood on a platform near the center circle to address fans.

“I'm very happy to continue this adventure, to stay in France, in Paris, my city. I always said Paris was my home,” Mbappe said. “I hope I will continue doing what I love the most, which is to carry on playing football and winning trophies.”

Mbappe then held up a PSG jersey with 2025 written on it as he stood alongside president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who had just announced the new deal.

“I have some very good news to give you. Kylian Mbappe is going to stay until 2025,” said Al-Khelaifi, barely heard as fans chanted Mbappe's name over and over. “Kylian's commitment to PSG represents an amazing milestone in the history of our club.” The PSG contract of one of soccer's most coveted players was expiring in June, and Mbappé would have been available on a free transfer.

But instead of joining 13-time European champion Madrid, which has chased him for so long, Mbappé decided to stay to try to deliver PSG its first Champions League title.

Madrid managed to beat PSG in the Champions League this season but not in the transfer market once again.

The Spanish giant's failure to sign Mbappé was a significan­t blow for its president, Florentino Pérez, who has been trying to get the transfer over the line for a year. PSG turned down Madrid's official bid of 180 million euros ($190 million) — the same amount it signed Mbappé for from Monaco in 2017 — and even another reported amount of 200 million euros ($211 million) was not enough to sell its star despite him having only a year remaining on his contract.

Mbappé said he wanted to leave at the end of last season but only on the right terms for PSG.

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