Kylian Mbappe: PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi says club will 'never sell' French forward
Kylian Mbappe has been linked with Real Madrid but PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said the French club will "never sell" the striker; Al-Khelaifi also says Neymar is "happy" in Paris and did not want to return to Barcelona in 2019
Tuesday 8 June 2021 09:14, UK
Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe will stay at the Ligue 1 club next season, club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said, responding to media speculation about the French international's future.
Mbappe, who scored 42 goals in all competitions for PSG this season, has a contract at the French club until June 2022 but has been linked with a move to La Liga's Real Madrid.
"I will be clear, Mbappe is going to stay in Paris," Al-Khelaifi told L'Equipe. "We will never sell him and he will never leave on a free (transfer). Mbappe has everything he needs in Paris.
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"Where can he go? What club, in terms of ambition, can compete with PSG today? All I can say is that things are going well and I hope we can reach an agreement (on a new contract).
"This is Paris, this is his country. He has a mission, not only to play football, but to promote Ligue 1, his country and his capital."
PSG ended the season with only one major trophy, the French Cup, after losing the Ligue 1 title by one point to Lille and crashing out in the Champions League semi-finals.
Al-Khelaifi also said PSG forward Neymar did not want to return to Barcelona in 2019, two years after his world-record move to France from the Spanish club.
"Barcelona always wanted to get Neymar back, it's no secret," Al-Khelaifi added. "But did Neymar want to go? No.
"It's true that his adaption to Paris and France was still incomplete, but call him and he will tell you how happy and fulfilled he is today."
Deschamps not sure Mbappe is in 'total control' of future
France head coach Didier Deschamps says Mbappe is not distracted by speculation about his PSG future while Euro preparations continue, but adds he is not sure the 22-year-old is in "total control" of his future beyond his current contract.
"Kylian has been clear on this point," he said. "He is here, he knows why he is here, he is with the France national team.
"He will have a decision to make and he will take it whenever he wants.
"For the moment, he is still under contract with PSG and he is supposed to be there for next season.
"After that, I do not know if he is in total control [of his future] but, in any case, he has felt peace and serenity with us and is focused on where we are together with the France team."
