Kylian Mbappé said French President Emmanuel Macron has no influence on his career choices as the Paris Saint-Germain forward lost his cool Thursday when questioned about his future with the Ligue 1 champions.

Mbappé sent a letter to PSG stating that he had no intention of extending his contract, which expires in 2024, but he later clarified that he had not asked the French club to allow him to move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

When Mbappé was linked with a move away from PSG in 2021, Macron had urged him to stay at PSG and to continue playing in the French top flight.

French media reported earlier this week that Macron said he would push for Mbappé to stay, but the 24-year-old simply reiterated his stance that his plan was to remain with PSG next season.

"What influence does the president have? On my career today, in 2023, none. He wants me to stay in Paris, my objective is to stay. We're on the same wavelength," Mbappé told reporters ahead of France's European Championship qualifier against Gibraltar on Friday.

"Am I going to leave PSG? I've already answered, I've said that my objective is to stay at PSG, that's my only option at the moment. I'm ready to come back when preseason resumes.

"I didn't think a letter killed anyone or that I had offended anyone."

PSG face the dilemma of allowing Mbappé to run down the final year of his contract and being unable to recoup any of the €180 million ($196.94m) they spent in 2017 to sign the forward from AS Monaco.

Sources have told ESPN that Madrid are ready to bid for Mbappé this summer, with PSG willing to listen to offers of around €150m ($161.5m) rather than risk losing him for free in a year's time.

While Mbappé said he wants to stay in Paris next season, sources close to the club dressing room have told ESPN that he informed teammates he wasn't ruling out leaving this summer, either.

Sources added that Madrid are the player's preferred destination if he were to leave PSG this summer.

Mbappé has finished as Ligue 1's top scorer in the past five seasons.

"I've been used to it since I was very young. I'm thinking about tomorrow's game. That's my only concern," he said.

"What happens outside is secondary, I've always managed to do both. I want to show tomorrow that I'm a great player."

France coach Didier Deschamps also stood by Mbappé, who was named the team's captain in March.

"We discuss a lot of things with Kylian, he's captain of the team. ... He's committed to the group," Deschamps said.

"He's no more tense than usual. He's always in the spotlight, a bit more so recently, but that doesn't have any impact on him and not at all on the group."

Source:
courtesy of ESPN

by Reuters

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