As reported earlier, Kylian Mbappe has returned to first-team training with Paris Saint-Germain, as the feud between club and player appears to have eased for now.
The 24-year-old was excluded from PSG’s pre-season tour of Asia after refusing to sign a contract extension, and sat out the drab goalless draw against Lorient on the opening day of the Ligue 1 season. He looked set for a move away from the French capital this summer, with the club receiving a huge £259 million offer from Saudi side Al-Hilal.
Mbappe is understood to have indicated his commitment to the club, who have offered him a contract with a “guaranteed sale” clause in it allowing him to seal a move to Real Madrid next summer for a fee. The club had been convinced Mbappe was preparing to let his current deal run out, which would have allowed him to leave Paris and join Real on a free transfer next year.
Meanwhile, after six seasons with Paris Saint-Germain, Brazilian soccer striker Neymar became the latest star to leave Europe for a deal in Saudi Arabia, joining the Riyadh-based Al Hilal on a reported $300 million contract, after the club’s attempts to sign Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe fell flat.
Multiple sources said Neymar had hoped to return to Barcelona on a loan agreement but the Spanish side’s financial issues had made that unaffordable.
The star trio of MNM (Messi, Neymar, Mbappe) has shared some moments together at Parc des Princes. The one we are going to remember today was not a long time ago, in January, before PSG’s Ligue 1 clash with Reims.
Brilliant broadcast footage from the game shows Neymar swirling an inch-perfect free kick into the far top corner, prompting the most organic and illustrative of reactions from Mbappe.
Mbappe nodded his head in approval after witnessing a piece of magic from Neymar.