PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe has confirmed he will sign a new three-year deal with the club and put an end to his ongoing contract saga.
Putting an end to one of football's most dramatic transfer sagas, star striker Kylian Mbappe has confirmed he will sign a new three-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain, leaving Real Madrid red-faced. The 23-year-old was widely expected to leave the Ligue 1 champions for Santiago Bernabeu at the end of the season upon the expiry of his existing deal on June 30. But the Frenchman decided to commit his future to the Parisian club and made an official announcement before their game against Metz on Saturday night.
The France international appeared pitch-side along with club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi to hold up the team's kit with 'Mbappe 2025' - signalling the length of his contract extension. "I would like to announce that I have chosen to extend my contract at Paris Saint-Germain, and of course, I am delighted. I am convinced that here I can continue to grow at a club that provides everything necessary to perform at the highest level," Mbappe said.
Also read: PSG lure Mbappe with 'complete control' of sporting project in last-ditch attempt
"I am also delighted to continue to play in France, the country where I was born, where I have grown up and where I have made my name. I would like to thank the President, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, for his trust, his understanding and his patience. I would also like to thank all the fans of Paris Saint-Germain, both in France and around the world, for their support, especially in recent months. Together, side by side and ambitious, we will make magic in Paris," Mbappe concluded.
PSG chairman and CEO Al-Khelaifi said, "Kylian's commitment to PSG represents an amazing milestone in the history of our club and a wonderful moment for our fans around the world. Since the day Kylian joined our family, he has achieved greatness beyond his years on every single stage. In committing to PSG, he will be the foundation of our club's future both on and off the field."
"I am incredibly proud and very happy - for Kylian, for our fans, and our entire PSG family worldwide - that we will continue our wonderful journey together. For our fans and our club, the greatest chapters of our future lie ahead," the Qatari businessman added.
The France superstar followed up his announcement by scoring a hat-trick against Metz at the Parc de Princes - bringing his tally to 28 goals in the league campaign. While PSG fans are thrilled to learn Mbappe would continue to shine in Paris, Real Marid fans were left furious, with some even suggesting the striker used Real Madrid to clinch a mouth-watering deal with the Ligue 1 champions.
"Mbappe lied. Point blank. He told Real Madrid he was coming, he gave them his word. At the last second, after Real Madrid gave up on Erling Haaland just because of him, he went back on his word. Nobody can trust him now. A man is as good as his word. And his means nothing," @TheRealChampsFS wrote on Twitter.
"Real Madrid and its fans have EVERY RIGHT to feel like Mbappe and his camp used their interest to get the biggest contract in football history from PSG. Real Madrid are not a tool," Chief Editor of SB Nation's Real Madrid site, Lucas Navarrete, noted on Twitter.
Meanwhile, following Mbappe's decision, La Liga has written an extraordinary statement detailing its intentions to report PSG's actions to UEFA and the French authorities. The Spanish league claims that they will file a complaint as they believe the Frenchman's new contract at the Parisian club 'threaten the economic sustainability of European football.'
Also read: La Liga's official statement on Mbappe's announcement
Los Blancos had made their interest in Mbappe clear last summer when they submitted a final bid of 154 million pounds for the Ligue 1 top scorer in an attempt to pry him away from Paris. Though the club rejected the proposal, it was widely anticipated that the French star would join Carlo Ancelotti's side a year later after refusing to re-new deal at PSG. However, Mbappe has made a shock turnaround in his contract saga and has now announced his decision to sign a new three-year deal at the club.
With his new contract at PSG, Mbappe becomes the highest-paid player in world football on wages of around 1 million pounds a week after pocketing a signing-on fee in the region of 100 million pounds from the French giants. The club have also made concessions over image rights, with the 23-year-old in line to receive bonus payments for goals, Ballon d'Or honours and Champions League success.