Could Kylian Mbappé make another PSG U-turn to stay next season?

L’Équipe report that PSG have (once again) not given up hope that Kylian Mbappé will sign a new extension with the Paris club and reject a move to Real Madrid next summer.

Mbappé’s latest extension at the end of last season was only a two-year deal with the option for a third year, which could only be triggered by the striker himself. The deadline for that passed earlier this summer, as Mbappé informed PSG in writing that he wouldn’t be signing a new deal but wanted to see out the final year of his current contract.

PSG rejected this and exiled the 24-year-old, fearing they might lose such a major asset for free. However, Mbappé eventually returned to the senior squad after giving the club assurances about his future. These assurances relate to waiving a large loyalty bonus for this year, worth around €100m to the club, thus saving PSG roughly the same amount as a transfer fee would have generated this summer.

However, club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has not given up hope that Mbappé could change his mind once again and decide to stay beyond the end of the campaign. According to the sports daily, several factors are now in the club’s favour. These include the turnover in the squad, most notably the exit of Neymar (with whom Mbappé’s relationship soured) and the signing of French internationals Lucas Hernandez, Randal Kolo Muani, and Ousmane Dembélé in supportive roles, which has pleased Mbappé. Additionally, with Lionel Messi now also gone, he is now firmly at the centre of the project. The emergence of his brother Ethan as a senior squad member has also improved his mood.

Moreover, the relationship between Al-Khelaifi and Mbappé has cooled after a fiery summer spell, during which Al-Khelaifi referred to Mbappé as just