Kylian Mbappe: PSG striker ‘wants to leave’ amid interest from Real Madrid

The French giants have rejected an offer in the region of €160m for the 22-year-old

Ben Burrows
Wednesday 25 August 2021 14:29 BST
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Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed that Kylian Mbappe wants to leave the club amid interest from Real Madrid.

The Independent reported on an initial offer from the Spanish giants - understood to be in the region of €160m - on Tuesday evening.

Sporting director Leonardo has confirmed that the bid has been verbally rejected, but has conceded that they may have to sell one of their most-prised assets with the French international’s contract in Paris expiring next summer.

“Kylian Mbappé wants to leave, that seems clear,” he told RMC. “If Real Madrid are making an offer, that seems clear. Me I am giving a position, that, I think, is clear for everyone.

“We cannot, the week before the end of the window, change our plans. If he wants to leave, we will not hold him back, but on our terms.”

PSG have enjoyed a headline-grabbing summer with Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos and Gini Wijnaldum all arriving in the French capital before the bombshell signing of Lionel Messi earlier this month.

They have designs on a first Champions League title as well as winning back the French league title under Mauricio Pochettino.

But one of their star players trying to engineer an exit this late in the window isn’t part of that plan.

They have made a number of contract offers to the 22-year-old - all of which have been rejected - with Madrid hopeful of completing a deal this summer for a sizeable fee or next for free.

“We made two significant offers to Kylian: one at the level of the top players in our squad two months ago and one above that of those players very recently,” Leonardo added.

“We want to prove to him that he is an important player, at the centre of our project, but not above the project. In terms of our position on Real, it seems like a strategy to try to get a no from us, to show that they have tried everything and to wait for a year to get him for free.

“For the last two years, Real Madrid have been behaving like this, it is not correct, illegal even because they contacted the player. It is unacceptable for us, because it is not correct.

“It is proof of the strategy: an offer comes one year before the end of his contract and seven days before the end of the window. They want us to reject to show to Kylian that they tried everything and to start negotiating for next year.”

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