Real Madrid were willing to pay £197m for Kylian Mbappe last month but PSG failed to respond to their final bid; Mbappe's current deal expires in June and he could sign a pre-contract agreement with another club in January, but Leonardo is confident he will remain at the Parc des Princes
Wednesday 15 September 2021 09:46, UK
Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo is confident Kylian Mbappe will not leave the club at the end of the season.
Real Madrid tried to sign the France international, whose current deal expires in June, during the summer transfer window but a move failed to materialise.
The Spanish club made a series of bids for Mbappe, and were willing to pay £197m for the 22-year-old, but walked away after PSG stalled on the deal.
However, Leonardo claims PSG never received a final offer from Real Madrid and is confident Mbappe will choose to extend his stay at the Parc des Princes - rather than sign a pre-contract agreement with another club in January.
"The fact that he's staying, that was the only thing that could happen," Leonardo told French television channel Canal Plus.
"We never thought about doing all this without Kylian. We were not happy with the behaviour of Real Madrid
"We were clear about the offer they made. It was not enough from our point of view. It was less than what we paid.
"As for their last offer, it never arrived."
Leonardo added: "I don't see Kylian leaving at the end of this season.
"Mbappe's relationship with PSG is deep. I don't think anyone here sees the future without him."
Mbappe has been in impressive form this season, scoring four goals in five games at the start of the campaign, and is expected to start Wednesday's Champions League game at Club Brugge.
Paris Saint-Germain have been labelled as the side to beat in the Champions League since Lionel Messi joined during the close season but coach Mauricio Pochettino warned that he had not yet turned his stellar cast of players into a team.
PSG signed Messi as a free agent from Barcelona to assemble a formidable attacking trio with Mbappe and Neymar, but they have yet to show what they are fully capable of together.
"We're not a team yet. We are a club that has recruited many players this summer. There are some big names but we have to turn into a team," Pochettino said on Tuesday.
"We are a group of players who need to achieve results. There's a feeling that we're (PSG and Chelsea) the two teams to beat but Chelsea are the holders so they're the team to beat especially after strengthening their squad."
