Kylian Mbappe confirmed the open secret on Friday night. He will leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season — with Sunday’s game against Toulouse to be his final match for the club at the Parc des Princes.
His announcement followed Tuesday’s disappointing Champions League exit at the hands of Borussia Dortmund. The Athletic revealed he would be leaving back in February — and PSG have been planning for this eventuality for an extended spell.
The assumption among fans is that Mbappe will join Real Madrid — but what is the state of play with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu? And what does his exit mean for PSG — and for Mbappe himself?
Here, our experts take you through Mbappe’s departure, and what it means for the world of football.
What did Mbappe say on Friday?
In a video posted to social media, the France international said: “I’ve always said that I would speak with you when the time comes I wanted to announce to you all that it’s my last year at Paris Saint-Germain. I will not extend (my contract) and the adventure will come to an end in a few weeks. I will play my last game at Parc des Princes on Sunday.
MERCI. 🔴🔵 @PSG_inside pic.twitter.com/t0cL2wPpjX
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) May 10, 2024
“It’s hard. I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that I will be leaving my country. France, the Ligue 1, a championship that I have always known but I think I need this — a new challenge after seven years.”
He also thanked his former coaches at PSG, other staff members and the fans. Mbappe also promised to capture one more trophy — the Coupe de France on May 25.
Peter Rutzler
How will Mbappe be remembered at PSG?
Mbappe is the best French player to have worn the PSG shirt. Arguably, he is their best of all time, and perhaps their most important and influential.
Since he signed from Monaco in the summer of 2017, initially on loan and then made permanent for an eye-watering €180million (now £153.8m; $193.7m), PSG have transformed. They are now an internationally recognised brand, a super club, a team who have boasted star players and Mbappe has been at the heart of it.
The relationship between PSG’s fans and their star player has not always been one of doting affection over the past seven years — a product, as L’Equipe outlined last week, of his frequent ‘near departures’ that sometimes led to whistles.
But he has been loved in Paris as a leader for club and country, the locally-born superstar who has become the face of PSG. Off-field matters have not fully diminished the respect, admiration and affection for this global superstar. That was underlined by how, along with his brother Ethan, he visited the Parc des Princes on Friday night around the time of his announcement, to meet with the club’s ultras — their most committed fans — for their end of season barbecue.
Mbappe has left his mark at PSG. He has broken multiple records since he signed, aged 18. He has surpassed all that have gone before him in Paris.
PSG fans holding up a flag for Mbappe this season (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
He has scored the most goals for PSG both domestically and in Europe, as well as the most hat-tricks, the most ‘doubles’ and the most goals in a single game (five). He has helped France win the World Cup during his time at the club, as well as scoring in successive World Cup finals (including one hat-trick), has won the tournament’s Golden Boot and gone on to become France captain. He is the most prolific goalscorer the French league has seen since Jean-Pierre Papin was running riot for Marseille in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
If he wins the Ligue 1 Golden Boot again this season (a near-certainty: he is on 26 goals, second-placed Alexandre Lacazette of Lyon has 17), he will have received that award six times in a row — no player has done that before.
Mbappe will still leave without winning the biggest prize in club football, the Champions League, and that will always be a disappointment to him. But he leaves an indelible mark at PSG.
Peter Rutzler
Are PSG prepared for his departure?
While Mbappe’s exit from PSG is only now official, it has not exactly been an unforeseen. Speculation about his future has been ongoing for years.
PSG began a process of regeneration last summer, moving on from their ‘galacticos’ era. This was defined by the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar.
The focus is instead on a younger, more cohesive unit, built with a longer-term focus and clear playing philosophy in mind. Luis Enrique is the head coach who has been tasked with knitting together that team.
PSG heavily invested to build a squad designed for that new identity, with more than €250million spent on 13 new players. They made further additions in January, adding youngsters Lucas Beraldo and Gabriel Moscardo from Sao Paolo and Corinthians respectively.
While PSG will lose an elite-level talent, the idea of the “club above all else” — stressed by president Nasser Al-Khelaifi last summer — may be easier to enforce. They will still try to bring in top players though, with Victor Osimhen and Gavi among those targeted. That is because Mbappe will leave a huge hole. He is arguably the best player in the world today and he has remained their main source of goals.
Peter Rutzler
Why has Mbappe chosen to leave PSG?
This exit has been a long time coming. Mbappe has not yet confirmed his next destination but it is no secret that he has been a long-time admirer of Real Madrid. That began with an infamous picture of Mbappe surrounded by posters of Cristiano Ronaldo in his childhood bedroom.
Since then, he has come close to moving on multiple occasions. In December 2012, as a 14-year-old, he visited Valdebebas, Madrid’s training ground. Before he joined PSG from Monaco, Madrid were around the discussions. And then, over the past three years, Madrid have moved closer to signing him. None more so than in 2022, when everyone anticipated that Mbappe would sign for Madrid.
But then, following persuasions from the French president, among others, ahead of both the Qatar World Cup and the Olympics in Paris, he unexpectedly signed a new lucrative contract in May 2022.
Sporting matters have not gone to plan since then. Expected targets were not signed, mainly due to financial fair play restrictions. Not long after his renewal, it was clear that he was unhappy. Last summer, Mbappe then decided not to extend his contract until 2025 and informed the club at that point. He was put up for sale but a compromise led to the end of the standoff. By that stage, though, his exit was clear.
Mbappe after his new contract with PSG (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
Throughout his time in Paris, it has felt like he was passing through; that at some point he would move on again.
He has made his mark at France’s biggest club and on French football, securing multiple records and awards. He has not brought the Champions League to Paris, which will be a regret. But for Mbappe, now 25, this was now the time to move on.
All that awaits now, is confirmation of where that destination will be — with PSG always clear he’d be going to Madrid.
Peter Rutzler
How did Real Madrid convince Mbappe to move?
Madrid have been interested in Mbappe for years — and his last contract extension with PSG, in May 2022, came as a disappointment to the Spanish giants.
But after some hesitation, Madrid decided last December that they would make a final decision on whether to make a last-ditch bid for Mbappe in January. Several meetings took place that month in which president Florentino Perez insisted on a final attempt. Perez was in direct contact with Mbappe — to the extent that the forward told Perez himself that he was saying with PSG in May 2022.
They never dropped out of contact.
After those meetings, Madrid started negotiating with the player’s entourage. Their offer would be lower than previous contracts they had put forward, because Mbappe would be two years older, because their project was more set and due to a different economic picture at Madrid. The rising cost of renovating the Bernabeu would be a factor.
Even so, between the signing bonus and salary, Mbappe would become the highest-paid player at Madrid. He would need to show his commitment to Madrid by accepting the offer.
There was some reluctance within Mbappe’s entourage but Mbappe eventually gave positive indications to Madrid about their proposal. He then told them he would be informing PSG he would leave the club in the summer — which happened in February.
Mario Cortegana
Why have Madrid not announced Mbappe’s arrival?
Mbappe told Madrid he would inform PSG he was leaving when the Spanish side were in Leipzig for their Champions League round of 16 match. While on that trip, important members of Madrid’s board told head coach Carlo Ancelotti they would be able to factor Mbappe in when planning for next season.
This has not changed — but there has been no internal communication confirming Mbappe’s arrival. Madrid have also always officially communicated that they have no interest in Mbappe.
Scarves of Mbappe being sold outside Real Madrid’s ground (David Ramos/Getty Images)
In Germany, there was talk that Mbappe’s mother Fayza Lamari — who is also his agent — had asked for discretion around the transfer to protect her son. Madrid respected those wishes and allowed Mbappe to set the pace of communication.
Madrid do not want Mbappe’s arrival to take the focus away from their Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund on June 1. It would not be a surprise if they did not officially announce Mbappe’s signing until after that game.
Mario Cortegana
(Top photo: Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
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