Thierry Henry has urged Kylian Mbappe to stay at PSG until the end of the season amid links with a potential exit in the January transfer window. Arsenal and Chelsea have been amongst those linked with a switch for the forward, while Real Madrid have been the frontrunners.
The Frenchman has an uncertain future in the capital though, with his contract nearing its final several months after a saga in the summer. It was revealed earlier this year that Mbappe’s deal until 2025 was actually until 2024, with the player holding the option to extend it by the extra year.
When it came time to trigger that clause, he didn’t and that lead to PSG pushing for a resolution as to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer. An ultimatum of a new deal or an exit was proposed, with neither quite coming to fruition – despite a world record bid from Saudi Arabia being entertained.
Things escalated as Mbappe began training away from the first-team and missed out on the squad’s pre-season tour of Japan, cranking up the pressure. They eventually caved in and brought him back into the fold after the first match of the season, hopefully he will have an impact.
The story has been relatively quiet since, with seemingly no progress on a new deal, leaving open the possibility of a pre-contract discussion abroad in January or even a permanent deal elsewhere. It remains to be seen exactly where he could end up, but there have been plenty of links.
Arsenal’s push for a Premier League title could see them dip into the market to add significant strength to their squad for the upcoming challenge. Meanwhile, Chelsea have been no strangers to investing heavily under their new ownership, with star power required.
However, former Arsenal star Henry has urged Mbappe to see out the rest of the campaign with PSG before making a decision on his future. Speaking on CBS Sports, he said: “If I’m Kylian Mbappe, I’m not going. You want to finish what you started. Why would you want to leave?
“You still have to win the league. He loves PSG, you have to understand that. He loves his club, he’s from there… I want him to stay until the end.”