Staying at PSG or heading to Madrid? Kylian Mbappe's transfer saga continue so soar

Kylian Mbappé finds himself in unique position of training alone at home while his Paris Saint-Germain teammates are playing abroad.

Speculation is mounting as to where Mbappé will play his first game of season. Will he stay at PSG, go to Real Madrid or fly far away to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal?

While soccer fans in Japan are disappointed t to see superstar after he was left out of club’s pre-season tour, PSG fans may have to brace mselves for a similar scenario when French champions open ir league campaign on Aug. 12.

24-year-old Mbappé is locked in a contract standoff and neir side seems prepared to give ground.

PSG is finally standing up to one of its big-name stars — after years of pandering to likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Neymar — while Mbappé is determined to do things on his own terms.

Mbappé has already told club he won’t trigger a 12-month extension on his contract, which expires at end of next June. He has until Monday to change his mind and sign extension, but that looks increasingly impossible.

Mbappé has already made it clear he intends to play only this season with French champions, and n leave. That means he could join long-time suitor Real Madrid for free. With transfer fee involved, Madrid can offer him a lucrative signing bonus and a massive salary.

PSG is having ne of it, and says top scorer at last year’s World Cup will eir sign current extension offer in place, sign a new contract altoger, or prepare to be sold.

That has opened door for Saudi team Al-Hilal to make a world record $332 million bid for Mbappé — a huge amount under any circumstances, but even more so for a player in final year of his contract. By comparison, Madrid offered 180 million euros ($200 million) for striker in 2021.

But money is seemingly object in oil-rich kingdom and promise of inflated ws means players are flocking re from Europe. Cristia Ronaldo reportedly earns up to $200 million a year, despite being close to 40 years old, while Saudi-funded LIV Golf tour has shaken up professional golf and country hosts a glitzy Formula One race.

moves are part of efforts by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to lever kingdom’s oil wealth to provide new jobs and opportunities at home. However, critics have dismissed efforts as “sportswashing,” attempting to lever professional sports to clean up kingdom’s poor human rights im.

Al-Hilal failed to sign Lionel Messi. Argentina great instead joined Inter Miami, so Riyad-based club has turned its attentions to Mbappé.

It seems unlikely, however, that Mbappé will be lured just yet. Unlike Ronaldo or Messi, he has never won Champions League, let alone Ballon d’Or — Ronaldo and Messi have won 12 Ballon d’Or trophies and nine Champions League titles between m.

Mbappé became only second player in history to score a hat trick in a World Cup final last year in Qatar, and he seems to have unfinished business at highest level of European soccer. So that makes Madrid favorite to sign him.

He would join most decorated club at European level with 14 European Cup titles, and fans would see him as an ideal replacement for Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema.

PSG could try pressuring Mbappé to sign a new contract by leaving him out of team when season starts. But given that PSG only won league by one point last season, that appears to be a risky strategy and might displease fans. It would also create a potentially toxic atmosphere for new PSG coach Luis Enrique.

While Mbappé waits for his teammates to return, he works out alone at training complex in quiet suburb of Poissy.

ise surrounding his transfer will keep getting louder, however, until a final decision is made.