Kylian Mbappe has confirmed he will leave Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the end of the season.
The Frenchman, who is out of contract this summer, is expected to join Real Madrid.
The 25-year-old officially announced his PSG exit in a video broadcast on Friday evening after it was revealed in February he would be leaving the French champions.
The France World Cup winner said: “I wanted to speak to you. I’ve always said that I would speak with you when the time comes, and so I wanted to announce to you all that it’s my last year at Paris Saint-Germain. I will not extend and the adventure will come to an end in a few weeks.
“I will play my last game at the Parc des Princes on Sunday. It’s a lot of emotion; 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 – which 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; to meet a lot of people, to grow as a man as well, with all the glory and the mistakes I’ve made.”
In his announcement video, Mbappe hinted at a move to Real Madrid after he revealed he would leave his country for the next step of his career.
He said: “It’s hard, and I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that, to leave my country, France, Ligue 1, a championship I have always known, but I think I needed this – a new challenge after seven years.”
PSG and Real Madrid still needed to negotiate whether Mbappe will leave for a fee or sacrifice his own earnings. PSG have Mbappe’s word that he will never leave on a free transfer.
Real Madrid hold a long-term interest in the 25-year-old forward, who would have to take a pay cut to join the Spanish side, even though they are prepared to make Mbappe the highest-paid player in their history.
