I'm Completely Unbothered by the Mbappé Transfer Saga, and You Should Be Too
Kylian Mbappé's future is up in the air, but there's no reason for Paris Saint-Germain supporters to panic.
The January transfer window is open, and you know what that means…Kylian Mbappé rumors!
The latest “report” to take hold of social media came from Santi Aouna, who shared some “exclusive” information about the Paris Saint-Germain superstar. According to him, Mbappé will join Real Madrid next season, and an agreement has been reached between the player and the club in recent days.
This was after PSG defeated US Revel, a six-tier amateur club, in the Coupe de France by a score of 9-0. It also came four days after Mbappé himself said that he hadn’t made up his mind. So, if you’re to believe Aouna, Mbappé made his decision, and his camp leaked the news around the time PSG faced a team comprised of amateur footballers.
Aouna may be right in that Mbappé will join Real Madrid this summer, but he absolutely has no concrete information. Like many football journalists who report on transfers, he’s going off information that’s given to him by those far away from the truth or from those with their own agenda. If his prediction turns out to be right, I’m sure he’ll tout his early report and use that fabricated clout for the next big transfer saga.
Regardless, I’m completely unbothered by everything Mbappé except for his performances for Paris Saint-Germain on the pitch. Whether he stays or leaves has no bearing on my fandom, and more importantly, the club is perfectly set up to handle his absence if he chooses to leave.
Financially, PSG should be fine if Mbappé leaves. Yes, the France international would leave on a free transfer, but it’s been widely reported that Mbappé will forgo his €70-€80 million loyalty bonus if he leaves on a free transfer. In addition to stating that he hasn’t made a decision regarding his future, Mbappé also said that he has an agreement with PSG’s president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, that “all parties are protected.”
On the pitch, PSG should be able to withstand Mbappé's departure. Of course, no player can equal his goals, assists, and impact on a game, but PSG has amassed an impressive group of attacking players who collectively can pick up the slack. Randal Kolo Muani, Ousmane Dembélé, Gonçalo Ramos, Marco Asensio, Bradley Barcola, and Kang-In Lee have all shown promise this season, and who knows, perhaps without Mbappé in the lineup, they’ll be afforded more freedom, and their game may flourish even more.
Moving away from PSG’s attack, there’s even more reason to believe PSG can remain strong on the pitch. In Warren Zaïre-Emery, PSG has a 17-year-old who was named Man of the Match twice in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season. Nuno Mendes is coming back from injury, but he was arguably the best left-back in Europe before being sidelined, Achraf Hakimi is in the conversation for best right-back, Vitinha continues his solid play in midfield, and newcomer Lucas Beraldo has an opportunity to step into one of PSG’s center-back positions.
Then there is the star power. Who could possibly live up to one of the most recognized footballers on the planet? Enter Xavi Simons. The Netherlands international is currently on loan at RB Leipzig, but he’ll return to the French capital this summer, where it is expected he’ll have a major role under Luis Enrique. At 20 years old, Simons led the Eredivisie in scoring last season with PSV, and he’s been impressive at Leipzig so far this season, leading the Bundesliga club into the knockout stage of the Champions League.
In addition to his impressive ability, Simons has star power. He already boasts nearly six million followers on Instagram, and I expect that to increase after UEFA Euro 2024 and the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. Simons is under contract with PSG until 2027, and while he may never reach Mbappé’s level of stardom, he’s certainly going to be one to watch for years to come.
In a year’s time, under the direction of Luis Campos, PSG’s sporting advisor, the club has set itself up for success whether Mbappé signs a new contract or leaves for a new adventure. The future is bright either way, which is why I am completely unbothered by any premature news regarding which kit Mbappé will wear next season.