The Curious Timing of Mbappé's Decision and How It Will Motivate His PSG Teammates
Kylian Mbappé will reportedly leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, but how will his decision impact the rest of the club's season?
Well, I got that one wrong. I previously wrote about when we might learn of Kylian Mbappé’s decision regarding his future plans and predicted we would hear from him toward the end of the season; instead, the news broke less than 24 hours after Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-0 win over Real Sociedad in the UEFA Champions League on Valentine’s Day.
Pretty much every top-tier, trustworthy journalist reported the news. From Fabrizio Romano to David Ornstein, every reporter relaid the same information, which was Mbappé has officially informed PSG’s president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, that he intends to leave the club as a free agent when his contract expires.
Further details came out hours later. We learned that Mbappé had actually informed PSG of his intentions two days prior to the news breaking, so last Tuesday, and that the club is waiting until all the details of his exit are finalized before making an official announcement.
Terms of Mbappe’s PSG exit are yet to be finalised, but the French champions are covered under all eventualities, both financially and in terms of a succession plan.
The key outstanding element is Mbappe keeping his promise to Al-Khelaifi and making PSG fully financially covered if he leaves on a free transfer. This may include forgoing €70-80m in bonuses, but Mbappe could also potentially pay PSG some/all of his Real signing-on fee. All options still to be discussed.
PSG will also free up €200m-gross per year, so have a significant transfer budget for the summer. — Ben Jacobs
Why now?
The timing of the breaking news couldn’t be any worse for PSG or Ligue 1. The club is currently embroiled in a season where they’re competing for three trophies, and the French Football Association (LFP) is negotiating its international broadcasting rights. For PSG, the Mbappé news is an unnecessary distraction, and for Ligue 1, it likely means accepting less than you hoped for.
The last time Mbappé made his decision was in 2022, he waited until the last Ligue 1 match of the season. By then, PSG had already crashed out of the Champions League, and the announcement didn’t really have an impact on the squad. This time, Mbappé’s news will no doubt impact his teammates.
On March 5, PSG will travel to Real Sociedad for the second leg of their tie. What do you think Luis Enrique, PSG’s manager, and other players are going to be asked about constantly? It will be a complete distraction, and in the Champions League, you need a clear mind free from distractions to compete at the highest level.
Who leaked the news?
There’s no doubt in my mind that the news came from Real Madrid. Mbappé’s camp likely updated them about informing PSG, and the La Liga side couldn’t help themselves and wanted the world to know they would finally sign the player they have been drooling over for a decade. The news coming out now benefits them and them only.
Furthermore, Real Madrid and PSG are still alive in the Champions League. With this news being public, I can almost guarantee that the two sides will be drawn together if they advance to the next round. The media circus surrounding that tie will almost be unbearable. Mbappé’s teammates will have to bear the brunt of the distraction. They’ll be asked about Mbappé leaving by every publication imaginable. But, there is a positive to all this.
Something to prove
By leaving for Real Madrid next season, Mbappé is telling PSG and his teammates they’re not good enough. His goal is to win the Ballon d’Or and the Champions League, and if he’s leaving, he clearly doesn’t think he can do either in the French capital with the teammates he has there. He’s not leaving to become more famous; he’s already a global superstar. I also don’t buy he’s going there because it’s his lifelong dream. Sure, he had posters of Cristiano Ronaldo in a Real Madrid kit on his wall growing up, but he’s also an AC Milan fan, and I don’t see him moving to Serie A any time soon.
This should motivate the likes of Randal Kolo Muani, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Kang-In Lee, Warren Zaïre-Emery, and Manuel Ugarte. From here on out, every newcomer at PSG should play with a chip on their shoulder and have one goal in mind: to win a Champions League at PSG before Mbappé at Real Madrid.
Pressure at Real Madrid
To Mbappé’s credit, he’s making a bold decision. He will be under more pressure at Real Madrid than ever before and earning less than he did at PSG. There will be no grace period, either. The expectation will be to win La Liga and at least reach the Champions League final in his first season.
He will have to accomplish all that while playing out of position, and even if Real Madrid is successful, he’ll have to share the achievements with Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, who are already settled at the club and contributing at an elite level.
Having accomplishments somewhat overlooked is something Mbappé will have to get used to at Real Madrid. Even if he hoists the Champions League trophy in the near future, it will be the 15th title in Real Madrid’s history. PSG has never won it, and leading a club to its first title would be a momentous occasion comparatively.
The future
If Mbappé announced in 2022 that he was leaving PSG, I would be a lot more panicked. Now, not so much. I’ve mentioned some of the young talent in the squad already. Barcola and Zaïre-Emery are the two I’m most excited about. But, there have been reports that PSG will be in the market for 2-3 world-class players this summer, and names are already being floated as potential Mbappé replacements.
As long as the first player signed is Lille OSC’s Leny Yoro, I’m fine with whatever business the club wants to conduct. Whether that’s Victor Osimhen from Napoli or Bernardo Silva from Manchester City, PSG will have the financial flexibility with Mbappé gone to make a big splash. Combined with Xavi Simons likely coming back from loan, the future is as bright as ever for PSG. Dare I say, a golden era of PSG football is on the horizon?