Mbappe left out of PSG’s preseason tour of Asia
Sports Desk, Jul 21 (EFE).- Kylian Mbappe will not be part of the Paris Saint-Germain squad for a preseason tour of Japan and South Korea, the Ligue 1 club said Friday.
New manager Luis Enrique Martinez’s 29-man roster includes all six of the team’s summer signings as well as 16-year-old Ethan Mbappe, the star striker’s younger brother.
On July 3, PSG sent a letter to Kylian Mbappe giving him until July 31 to renew his contract or be put on the market.
The missive reproached the France captain for causing “enormous harm” to the club by stating publicly that he will not make a decision about renewing his contract, which expires June 30, 2024, before the end of the upcoming season.
French sports daily L’Equipe reported Friday that PSG is convinced Mbappe already has an agreement with Real Madrid to join the Blancos on a free transfer next summer.
“If Kylian wants to stay, we want him to stay, but to sign a new contract,” club boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi said earlier this month during the presentation of Luis Enrique as PSG’s new manager. “We cannot let the best player in the world leave for free.”
Mbappe, 24, signed a two-year extension with PSG in May 2022 after the club rejected several offers from Real Madrid and following an appeal from French President Emmanuel Macron for the Paris native to remain with his hometown team.
The club has said that its willingness to make a major investment in retaining Mbappe was based on the assumption that PSG would either continue to benefit from his services beyond June 2024 or receive a substantial transfer fee from another team.
The striker took part in Friday’s friendly against Le Havre, coming off the bench in the second half to a score a goal in the 2-0 victory.
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