The Current Status of the Kylian Mbappé Situation

During this summer, Kylian Mbappé found himself on the outskirts of the PSG team. The contract dispute, in which Mbappé rebelled against the club, took an unexpected turn over the weekend as he was given another chance. But does his return to the first-team setup signify the end of this dramatic ordeal?

PSG’s pre-season preparations were marred by conflict, as the Mbappé saga dominated headlines following his contentious letter to the club in June. In the letter, he made it clear that he had no intention of extending his contract until 2025, signaling his desire to stay for the current season but not commit beyond that.

This led to a stand-off between Mbappé and PSG. While he wanted to stay for now, PSG insisted that he either extend his contract or be sold. Throughout the summer, both sides remained firmly entrenched in their positions.

Stalemate

In July, when Al Hilal expressed interest, PSG’s and Mbappé’s responses diverged. PSG was open to considering the offer, and they even accepted a reported world-record bid of £259 million. However, discussions between Mbappé and the Saudi delegation never progressed, as it became evident that the French captain was committed to honoring his PSG contract until next summer’s Euros and Olympic Games.

Nonetheless, the prospect of a “Saison Blanche,” a season of inactivity, wasn’t conducive to Mbappé’s performance in those important competitions. The impasse was finally broken. After missing PSG’s tour of Japan and South Korea and being absent from Luis Enrique’s first matchday squad in Ligue 1 Uber Eats, signs of reconciliation began to emerge.

A Surprising Turn

As Mbappé watched PSG draw against Lorient while seated beside new teammate Ousmane Dembélé at Parc des Princes, hints of reconciliation emerged. The next morning brought unexpected news—Mbappé was back. PSG issued a brief statement indicating “very constructive and positive talks,” and images followed of Mbappé happily training with the first-team. Is this the end of the story? Perhaps not just yet.

Reports from France suggest that Mbappé’s return is not a result of agreeing to extend his contract until 2025. His stance on this matter remains unchanged, and no such contract has been signed. The circumstances surrounding his return remain somewhat mysterious.

What’s Ahead for Mbappé?

While it seems likely that Mbappé will feature against Toulouse on Saturday and potentially for the rest of the season with PSG, his long-term future remains uncertain. The possibility of a free transfer in 2024, something PSG worked hard to avoid, still looms as the most probable outcome. This saga has already taken unexpected twists, and the final resolution may not be clear just yet.