malvernmugadzikwa
FRANCE striker Kylian Mbappe has said he will leave Paris St-Germain at the end of the season.
Mbappe (25) announced the decision in a video released on his social media, external accounts.
“I have always said that I would speak with you when the time comes,” he said.
“It’s my last year at Paris St-Germain. I will not extend and the adventure will come to an end in a few weeks.”
Mbappe’s contract with PSG expires in June and BBC Sport reported in February that he had agreed to a deal to join Real Madrid in the summer.
The World Cup winner is PSG’s record goalscorer with 255 goals and will play his final home game at the Parc des Princes against Toulouse in Ligue 1 today.
After that, PSG have away fixtures at Nice (May 15) and Metz (May 19) before the French Cup final against Lyon at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille on May 25.
Paris-born Mbappe, who joined PSG from Monaco for £165,7 million in August 2017, said the club helped him “grow as a player” and “grow as a man as well”.
He added: “It’s a lot of emotions, many years where I had the chance and the great honour to be a member of the biggest French club, one of the best in the world.
“It allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure, to grow as a player, of course, by being alongside some of the best in history, some of the greatest champions.
“It’s hard and I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that. But I think I needed this, a new challenge, after seven years.”
How have we got here?
Mbappe was set to leave PSG on a free transfer at the end of the 2021/2022 season but ultimately signed a two-year contract extension, with the option of a further year.
However, after Mbappe told PSG he would not agree to the additional 12 months of the deal, he was not selected for their pre-season tour to Japan last July. He subsequently refused to meet with representatives of Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, who made a world record £259 million offer for him. — BBC
Online Reporter