Kylian Mbappe has announced his next move to his Paris Saint-Germain team-mates, according to a new report.
Mbappe’s contract at PSG expires this summer, and he previously told the club that he would not be triggering the contract’s additional one-year extension.
Subsequently, he was frozen out of PSG training, but did return after the side’s 0-0 draw against Lorient on the opening day of the Ligue 1 season.
Since then, he has been in typically electric form, and tops the Ligue 1 goalscoring charts with 20 goals from just 19 appearances for Luis Enrique’s side.
That seemingly prompted some hope amongst the Parc des Princes hierarchy that Mbappe would consider staying at the club.
But The Athletic reported on Thursday that Mbappe had informed them of his decision to leave as a free agent when his contract expires in June.
Now, RMC Sport claim that Mbappe told his PSG team-mates on Friday morning that he will indeed be leaving the club.
It is said that the whole squad was present for Mbappe’s speech, which was said to ‘not last very long and was well received’.
The report adds that both Mbappe and PSG are planning a joint announcement to pubicly confirm the 25-year-old’s departure but a date for this is yet to be set.
There is no indication that the France captain gave away any information about which club he plans to join.
Real Madrid are leading the race to sign him as they search for a long-term Karim Benzema replacement, having elected not to sign a permanent striker last summer, while Liverpool have also been linked.
And Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has said that the Gunners are interested on a move for the Frenchman – even if he conceded that a deal is unlikely.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference before Arsenal’s trip to Burnley on Saturday, Arteta said: “When there is a player of that calibre we always have to be in the conversation.
“But as you said, it looks in a different way.”