FRANCE — The path to Kylian Mbappé’s future starts with the start of the New Year.
Paris Saint-Germain and its fans are going to have a rough start to 2024 because more rumours are going to spread about their star scorer, who is one of only two players in football history to score a hat trick in a World Cup final.
Mbappé was in a trade standoff with his club at the start of this season because he didn’t take up the option of a 12-month extension into 2025. As of January 1, he will be free to talk to other sides and could even sign a pre-contract deal with Real Madrid or Liverpool, who are currently leading the Premier League.
Since Mbappé joined from Monaco on loan in 2017 for 180 million euros, or $199 million, his deal ends in June. At that point, he can leave the defending French champion for free.
The France star has scored 233 goals for PSG, even though he just turned 25 months ago. He has also scored 46 goals for Les Bleus.
But Mbappé has had some bad times at PSG. The team hasn’t made it to the rounds of the Champions League in two years, and this season they just made it to the last 16 by finishing in second place.
So far this season, Mbappé has scored 21 goals in 22 games across all tournaments. However, he did not make an impact when PSG lost 4-1 at Newcastle and 2-1 at AC Milan.
In some of PSG’s league games over the last three seasons, bad defence and a failure to work as a team have let in easy goals, which has made him angry.
He has said that he wants to win the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or, which is soccer’s highest individual honour. Still, it’s not clear if he can win either with PSG. At age 25, he might be ready to leave the club as he hits his prime years.
Here are some places Mbappé could go:
REAL MADRID
Will it be third time lucky for Spain, which has won a record 14 European Cups?
In 2021, Madrid made an offer of 180 million euros for Mbappé, but PSG turned it down. The next year, Mbappé signed a new deal with PSG in May 2022, just as rumours were going crazy that Madrid would finally get him to join.
Mbappé held up the PSG shirt that day, which said 2025 on the back. But he was allegedly annoyed that the actual deal only kept him with the team until 2024. It was seen as good PR for the club to expect him to sign the extension, but he was a famous player after all.
Mbappé has said that he loves Madrid, but the move might not happen at all if he doesn’t join this time. The attack has been changed by coach Carlo Ancelotti since Karim Benzema left, and it works well.
Jude Bellingham, an attacking player who cost a lot of money to join from Borussia Dortmund, has had an amazing start to his career. In 21 games, he has scored 17 goals. Bellingham is a great leader behind Vinícius Júnior (who just signed a new long-term deal) and Rodrygo. He wears Zinedine Zidane’s No. 5 shirt as a tribute to his hero.
The Brazilians, Vinícius (23), and Rodrygo (22), are younger than Mbappé and don’t score as many goals. This makes Madrid wonder if they really need Mbappé now that Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo have clearly filled the vacancy they left.
LIVERPOOL
Mbappé speaks English very well, and he doesn’t mind talking to British reporters after Champions League games.
He would have an even easier time getting used to the Premier League because he is fast, strong on the ball, good at passing, and can score goals with ease.
The six-time European winners are trying to keep Mohamed Salah, their talented forward, even though the even wealthier Saudi Arabian league is becoming more interested in the Egyptian star.
Just recently, Salah scored 200 goals for Liverpool. He is a hero at the famous Anfield stadium, but he is 31 years old and his best years may be over.
Mbappé is getting better and better, and he seems like the perfect alternative.
CHELSEA
Any club that wanted to sign Mbappé for free would have to pay him huge amounts of money.
Chelsea can do that. The west London club is stuck in the middle of the table and needs a player like Mbappé to help them score goals badly.
It’s not clear if Mbappé is ready for the task of rebuilding, since he could walk into any top club.
SAUDI ARABIA
Last July, Al-Hilal failed with a record $332 million offer to buy Mbappé. He wants to win the Ballon d’Or many times, so even the offer of huge pay probably won’t be enough to get him to leave.
Also, Saudi Arabian football plans to stay around for a long time.
So, Mbappé doesn’t have to go there now, even though he could easily do so when he’s 30.
STAYING AT PSG
Mbappé had said before that he wanted to finish his last season at PSG and then leave.
The club would have to improve its defence and middle if he stays.
Ethan Mbappé, his younger brother, will still play for PSG if he leaves. He just turned 17.
