French star Kylian Mbappe has until midnight to trigger a one-year extension to his PSG contract, with the Ligue 1 giants expected to increase their efforts to sell him should he allow the option to lapse.
Mbappe signed a new deal with PSG last summer, with the 24-year-old appearing to commit his future to the club until 2025.
While it was announced as a three-year contract, the agreement was for an initial two years with Mbappe having the option on whether to extend into an extra season.
Mbappe triggered another transfer saga last month after he informed PSG via a letter to say he did not want to exercise the option.
The forward insisted that the club had been made aware of his decision last year.
Kylian Mbappe has until midnight to decide whether to trigger an extension in his PSG deal
Mbappe signed a contract last summer until 2024 with the option to extend for another year
The forward created a stand-off with PSG by informing the club he would not trigger the option
‘PSG has been informed since July 15, 2022, of my decision not to extend beyond 2024, and the letter that was sent only served to confirm what I had already told them,’ Mbappe said in a statement to AFP.
The deadline on whether to active the option expires at midnight.
With Mbappe confirming his intention to let the clause lapse, PSG are faced with either selling the forward this summer or losing him on a free transfer in 11 months time.
Mbappe would be free to enter talks and sign a pre-contract agreement with non-French clubs from January 2024.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is determined not to allow their prize asset to leave the club for nothing next summer.
‘My position is very clear,’ he said earlier this month. ‘I don’t want to repeat it every time: if Kylian wants to stay, we want him to stay. But he needs to sign a new contract.
‘We don’t want to lose the best player in the world for free, we can’t do that. This is a French club.
‘He said he would never leave for free. If he changes his mind today, it’s not my fault. We don’t want to lose the best player in the world for free, that’s very clear.’
Mbappe is poised to receive a £51m loyalty bonus should he be a PSG player on Tuesday
PSG’s record goalscorer was left off their pre-season tour due to speculation over his future
Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal had a world-record £259m bid for Mbappe accepted by PSG last week (pictured: Al-Hilal president Fahad bin Nafel, right, with new signing Kalidou Koulibaly)
The Ligue 1 side are expected to intensify their efforts to sell Mbappe this window after the deadline expires.
Mbappe is set to secure a significant loyalty bonus regardless of whether he opts to trigger the clause or not.
The 2018 World Cup winner will reportedly be owed £51m should he be a PSG player on Tuesday, under the terms of the lucrative deal he signed last year.
The figure would reportedly rise to £68m should he stay with the club for another season.
Reports have long suggested that Mbappe’s preference is to join Real Madrid, with PSG feeling certain that he has already agreed a move to the Spanish giants.
It has even been claimed that Mbappe would be prepared to sit on the bench at PSG this season in order to see out his contract and join Real on a free transfer next summer.
Parisian sources believe Mbappe could receive a £138m signing-on fee from Real should he move to the club on a free.
Mbappe, who is PSG’s record goalscorer with 212 goals in 250 appearances, has already snubbed the advances of Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.
PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi admits the club cannot lose Mbappe on a free next summer
Mbappe is reportedly willing to see out the final year of his PSG contract from the bench
He rejected a world record £259million move to the Saudi Pro League club by declining to speak to their delegation last week, despite a reported salary package of over £600million being promised.
PSG are claimed to be open to loaning out Mbappe this summer if this will incur a fee.
Reports last week claimed Liverpool were eyeing a sensational one-year loan offer for Mbappe, while Premier League rivals Chelsea have also been viewed as a potential option.
Mbappe had been left out of PSG’s squad for the club’s pre-season tour of Japan amid the saga surrounding his future.
