With Lionel Messi gone and Neymar's future in question amid a flurry of transfer rumours, Kylian Mbappe is the latest Paris Saint-Germain star looking primed to leave the French capital.
Mbappe, regarded as one of the best players on the planet, has been with the Parisians since joining in 2018 from fellow Ligue 1 side AS Monaco.
Still just 24 years old, Mbappe has become a club icon, and while the other big-money stars in Paris fell out of favour with the supporters amid their struggles in Europe, he has remained a fan favourite.
Yet even their knight in shining armour could now be on his way out as PSG look set to implement a fresh transfer and recruitment policy. Les Parisiens are seeking to move away from superstar incomings and build more from within, and Mbappe has decided his future lies elsewhere.
Despite last summer's sensational decision to re-sign with PSG, it already appears that Mbappe's time at Parc des Princes may be coming to an end sooner than expected.
MORE: Revisit Kyilan Mbappe's free agency saga from last summer as he turned down Madrid for PSG stay
Is Mbappe leaving PSG? Latest news, reports on French star
According to Tariq Panja of the New York Times, Kylian Mbappe has told PSG that he will not renew his contract any further past his current deal, which expires in the summer of 2024. Mbappe reportedly informed PSG of his intention to move on in a letter, according to a report by French publication L'Equipe.
That has left PSG with a decision to make. They will either need to sell this summer and recoup a big fee for his service, or see him run down the final year of his contract with the club and leave next summer for free.
Real Madrid have been the club most closely linked with Mbappe once he leaves PSG. It was thought the French star would join Madrid last summer before performing a sensational U-turn and remaining with PSG. However, now could be the perfect chance for Madrid to pounce.
A day after the news broke, Mbappe confirmed that his letter to PSG stated he wished to leave next summer at the expiration of his contract, but he attempted to clarify some details. Mbappe said that he never asked to leave this summer for a move to Real Madrid, and that the club has known his intentions of not triggering his option since a year ago when he first signed his new deal. Mbappe stated that his letter was simply a formality required by his contract, which required him to opt in to his additional year by this coming July 31.
However, reports suggest otherwise. The Athletic has reported that the club did not know Mbappe's intentions ahead of time, and instead learned of the situation from a L'Equipe journalist who called for comment, with the letter only arriving later that day.
Mbappe PSG wages, salary, transfer fee
Despite flirting heavily with a move to Real Madrid last summer on a free transfer, Mbappe eventually signed a new contract with PSG, putting off a move away from the French capital for a time.
His deal with PSG was a two-year contract with a player option for a third year, much like the deal that Lionel Messi signed with PSG the summer before. Messi declined his option at the end of the current season, walking away in favour of a forthcoming move to Inter Miami.
According to Sky, the PSG deal surpassed the terms of the concurrent Real Madrid offer, which included a £110 million ($137 million) signing bonus and £20 million ($25 million) of annual net salary. Sky said that the PSG signing bonus was also in the region of £100 million ($125 million) with a monthly salary (£4 million / $5 million) that doubled his previous PSG pay.
Mbappe to Real Madrid: Could transfer happen this summer?
According to Tariq Panja's report in the New York Times, Real Madrid is "the most likely destination" for Mbappe once he leaves PSG, whether that be this summer, or in 2024.
Mbappe has been public about his admiration for the Spanish club, who he has supported since he was a young child.
The admiration has been mutual, with Real Madrid offering him the richest contract in club history last summer before he eventually turned down Los Blancos. While he angered the Real Madrid fans in doing so, a player of his calibre would likely be welcomed to the Bernabeu regardless should he decide to eventually join.
The possible roadblock to Mbappe's move to Madrid this summer is the transfer fee involved, which would be significant, despite his contract only having one year remaining. PSG would look to receive top dollar from Madrid, and if the Spanish club wishes to pay Mbappe the same excessive wages they offered him last summer, they would likely struggle to then pony up an additional transfer fee of high value.
Therefore, it's tough to imagine Mbappe moving this summer, and the most likely result is a switch on a free transfer in the summer of 2024. If he were to move in the next few months, in all likelihood, either he would have to take a cut in wages from the previous offer, or PSG would have to accept a transfer fee smaller than anticipated. Given PSG have very little leverage here, it's possible they could concede in terms of the agreed fee, but otherwise, all parties would have to wait a year.
Mbappe next club betting odds
Some sports books are offering odds for fans to wager not only on what club Mbappe will join next, but also when it will happen.
For example, Sky Bet has an offering on Kylian Mbappe to complete a move before September 3, 2023 to a number of clubs. Because of this, there is no option to select PSG, as the bet assumes a move will be made, and if one is not completed before the deadline, all selections will be considered a loss.
While it's understood that Real Madrid are overwhelmingly the favourites to be Mbappe's next club, it's also possible that another club could step in if PSG insist on a sale this summer and Madrid do not wish to pay both high wages and a high fee.
Kylian Mbappe next club odds — To join before Sept. 3, 2023
Odds via Sky Bet, as of Monday, June 12, 2023.
| Club | Odds |
| Real Madrid | 5/1 |
| Man United | 12/1 |
| Newcastle | 18/1 |
| Man City | 22/1 |
| Liverpool | 28/1 |
| Bayern Munich | 33/1 |
