Ale Moreno says it's in PSG's best interests to avoid losing Kylian Mbappe on a free
transfer next summer. (1:23)
Paris 🌛 Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe has hit out at
France for its treatment of Lionel Messi during his two seasons in 🌛 Ligue 1.
Messi
joined the French champions in 2024 on a free transfer from Barcelona and despite
winning the league on 🌛 two occasions, the forward struggled to adapt to life at PSG.
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Messi, 35, was 🌛 booed and jeered by PSG
fans following the team's exits from the Champions League over the past few
seasons.
Messi opted 🌛 not to extend his PSG contract at the end of the season and is set
to join Major League Soccer's 🌛 Inter Miami. Mbappe defended his former club teammate and
said he deserved more respect in France.
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"We're talking about
potentially the best player in the history of football," Mbappe 🌛 told Italian
publication Gazzetta dello Sport. "It's never good news when someone like Messi
leaves.
"Personally I haven't really understood why 🌛 so many people were relieved that
he was leaving. We're talking about Messi, he should be respected -- but instead, 🌛 he
didn't get the respect he deserved in France. It's a shame, but that's how it went.
He'll have to 🌛 be replaced as best as possible."
Mbappe also added that he never asked
PSG to allow him to move to Real 🌛 Madrid in this summer, confirming that he is happy to
play in the French capital next season but will not 🌛 extend his deal with the
club.
Mbappe caused a stir when he sent a letter to the club stating that he 🌛 had no
intention to extend his PSG contract, which expires in 2024 if he does not activate the
clause that 🌛 will extend his deal by a further 12 months.
PSG risk losing Mbappe for
free in June 2024. He will also 🌛 be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with a new
club from January should he decide to see out the 🌛 remaining year of his deal at PSG.
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Lowe: How Barcelona missed chance to sign Messi twice
"I didn't ask either to 🌛 be sold
or to go to Real Madrid," Mbappe said. "I just confirmed that I don't want to activate
the 🌛 extra year foreseen in the contract. We have never talked about a renewal with PSG,
but I'm happy to stay 🌛 here next season."
ESPN reported on Wednesday that Madrid are
ready to bid for Mbappe this summer and the player is 🌛 keen to move to the LaLiga
giants. Sources added that PSG would be willing to listen to offers of around 🌛 €150
million ($161.5m) for the France captain.
Madrid have courted Mbappe, 24, in the past
but failed to land him. He 🌛 signed a contract extension with PSG in May last
year.
However, the Spanish club are rebuilding their team after losing Ballon 🌛 d'Or
winner Karim Benzema and could turn their eye to Mbappe, who has finished as top scorer
in Ligue 1 🌛 for the past five seasons.
Information from Reuters was included in this
report.
