Kylian Mbappe’s relationship with PSG is at breaking point, according to reports in France, because he feels he’s been betrayed by the club after agreeing a new mega deal this summer.
The 2018 World Cup winner sensationally revealed his desire to leave for Real Madrid, who bid £154million for the 23-year-old, in the summer before he snubbed the Spanish giants to sign a new £650,000-a-week contract in Paris.
Mbappe was supposedly promised that he’d have more freedom to play on the wings – which hasn’t fully materialised so far this season and has led to his unhappiness.
Kylian Mbappe feels betrayed after failed promises at PSG just five months after his new deal
L’Equipe front page has revealed that Mbappe’s relationship with PSG is at breaking point
It has since been revealed that the relationship between Mbappe and the club is now at breaking point, not just due to positioning, but the fact that striker feels betrayed by the club just five months after signing a new deal, according to L’Equipe.
The report suggests that the Ligue 1 champions had promised him a big transfer window including signing the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Bernardo Silva and Milan Skriniar to help them finally win the Champions League.
Sporting advisor Luis Campos was brought in and tasked with signing big names and sorting the departure of Neymar, with the argument that Mbappe and the Brazilian superstar play in the same position.
The Ligue 1 champions had promised a big transfer window including signing the likes of Robert Lewandowski (left) and Bernardo Silva (right) to bolster their Champions League hopes
Sporting advisor Luis Campos also failed to sanction the departure of Brazilian star Neymar
Mbappe has cut an unhappy figure in France in the early part of the new season and has openly slammed coach Christophe Galtier’s tactics and also appears to have fallen out with Neymar.
However, prior to their 1-1 draw with Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday night, PSG chief Campos denied reports claiming Mbappe wants to depart the club.
He told Canal Plus: ‘Mbappe has never told me about his intention to leave in January. We speak with him, Messi, Ney… we’re very happy to be here.
‘We have to be very clear that this isn’t a declaration – it is news that has come out a few hours before a very important match against Benfica.’
Campos (pictured) has denied reports claiming that Mbappe wants to leave in January
Spanish newspaper outlet Marca have also claimed that PSG will not entertain any offer from Real Madrid if Mbappe does leave now, leaving Liverpool as one of his only feasible options.
According to the publication, PSG have agreed to work on Mbappe’s exit provided it met certain conditions, including that a move to the Bernabeu be taken off the table.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has expressed interest in Mbappe, considered one of the best players in the world, in the past but the finances involved could be a stumbling block to any deal with the Reds.
He has been consistently linked with Klopp’s side in recent years, with the Frenchman reportedly keen to test himself in the Premier League.
Liverpool could offer Mbappe his only feasible way out of the French giants in January
Mbappe has notably felt frustrated with Christophe Galtier’s attacking system, and has publicly explained that he prefers playing in a two-man system alongside a pivot, like he does with Olivier Giroud in the national team.
Last week, he was critical of Galtier following PSG’s goalless draw against Reims.
Mbappe posted an Instagram story that included a picture of himself in action accompanied by ‘#pivotgang’ in a dig at the way in which Galtier had used him.
Mbappe used the hashtag ‘#pivotgang’ in an Instagram post which was quickly deleted
Galtier has since played down the criticism, insisting that it was merely a reaction in the heat of the moment.
‘I spoke a lot with Kylian at the start of the season and I was very attentive to his comments when he was playing for France, saying that he felt better in Les Bleus’ attacking set-up,’ the PSG manager said.
‘Across pre-season we spoke with [football advisor] Luís Campos and the president [Nasser Al-Khelaifi] to get a fourth striker, with a different profile, who would allow for two strikers and for Kylian to play as much as possible in his preferred area.
Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier (right) has played down criticism from Mbappe
‘Kylian sometimes finds himself in the middle and he gets the impression that he’s a pivot. But he’s a smart player who’s capable of adapting.’
Tensions between Mbappe and Neymar have grown in recent months, with the duo clashing over a penalty during PSG’s 5-2 win against Montpellier in August.
After Mbappe had missed a penalty earlier in the game, the pair argued over who should take PSG’s second spot-kick.
Neymar eventually stepped up to take it and scored, but Mbappe didn’t celebrate with his team-mate. Subsequently, Neymar liked a series of tweets criticising Mbappe.
Following that Mbappe refused to pass to Neymar in the Champions League against Juventus, with the Frenchman electing to shoot but missing the target on one attack.
Mbappe and Neymar’s relationship is believed to have become strained in the last few months
In September, it emerged that Mbappe’s new contract reportedly only runs until 2024 instead of 2025 as was originally thought.
Mbappe, who snubbed Real in the process, announced he had penned a three-year deal and proudly wore a shirt at the Parc des Princes with ‘Mbappe 2025’ on the back, while posing with club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
However, according to L’Equipe, the contract Mbappe signed is actually only for two years, with the third year an optional extension at the hands of the French international.
This means that at the end of this season, the forward will enter the final 12 months of his deal, and PSG will again be in the position of deciding whether to try to extend his contract or sell him to avoid losing him for free.
Mbappe has been a sensation for the French side since joining from Monaco back in 2017, scoring 182 goals in 229 matches. He has won four Ligue 1 titles and the division’s Player of the Year on three occasions.
