PSG strongly opposed this decision, hoping that their star player would at least agree to a one-year contract extension to prevent losing him without a transfer fee. This led to a standoff, which resulted in Mbappe's exclusion from the first-team squad until he was eventually reintegrated at the start of the current campaign.
Since then, the 2018 World Cup winner has impressed with eight goals in nine appearances, with almost all of those goals coming in Ligue 1. However, ongoing speculation suggests that Mbappe may join Real Madrid in July, as he will be officially allowed to enter pre-contract negotiations in January.
According to Sport, PSG hasn't given up hope of extending Mbappe's contract in some way, even if it's just until 2025. The report suggests that a one-year extension will be proposed to Mbappe, possibly as early as next week, in the hopes of fostering positive negotiations.
Should Mbappe decline these terms, PSG seems prepared to concede defeat in their efforts to retain him in the long term. Unable to make a big-money signing for a new striker during the previous transfer window, president Florentino Perez is expected to approve a replacement for Karim Benzema at the end of the 2023-24 season. Joselu, currently on loan from Espanyol, is temporarily filling this role and has already contributed with five goals and two assists in various competitions.
While it's possible that Real Madrid may retain the 33-year-old's services, it's widely anticipated that Mbappe will be targeted as the first-choice striker. This move would allow Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo to return to their natural positions on the flanks, instead of being deployed as a front two, which has occasionally been the case this season.
