Kylian Mbappe has insisted he will be staying at Paris Saint-Germain next season in a blow to Real Madrid’s summer transfer plans.
The 20-year-old World Cup winner spoke to Canal + France after securing the Ligue 1 title following PSG’s 3-1 win over Monaco, a game in which he scored a hat-trick.
When asked what the future might hold for the Frenchman, he said: “I stay in PSG.” Speculation about the player’s next move has intensified since Zinedine Zidane returned as Real Madrid manager.
Mbappe’s compatriot is a long-term admirer of the forward, who is believed to be high up on Zidane’s shortlist for what is certain to be a busy summer in the Spanish capital.
Zidane is planning one of the biggest overhauls at the Bernabeu in recent times with many star names understood to be heading for the exit door.
Players of similar pedigree, however, are expected to arrive. Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, as well as Mbappe, are on the Madrid manager’s radar.
However, Mbappe on Sunday explicitly denied he would be making the move to Spain at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
He said: “I joined the PSG project. I’m happy for Real Madrid if Zizou has returned. I will watch the matches as an admirer.”
Mbappe had a public disagreement with club manager Thomas Tuchel just last week when the German refuted the striker’s claim that PSG ‘lacked personality’ during the 5-1 defeat by Lille.
Les Parisiens were confirmed as Ligue 1 Champions on Sunday afternoon when second-placed Lille were held to a 0-0 draw by Toulouse.
Mbappe scored three goals in just 55 minutes at Parc des Princes as PSG clinched their sixth domestic title in seven years.
