"I make my own choices," said Kylian Mbappe when asked if French President Emmanuel Macron had any influence on his career decisions. The Paris St Germain forward appeared agitated when questioned about his future with the Ligue 1 champions, following his letter to the club stating that he had no plans to extend his contract which expires in 2024. Despite rumors linking him to Real Madrid, Mbappe clarified that he had not requested permission to move to the Spanish giants.
Macron had encouraged Mbappe to remain at PSG and continue competing in the French top division when rumors surfaced of his departure in 2021. Despite recent reports from French media stating that Macron would intervene to persuade Mbappe to stay, the 24-year-old has reaffirmed his intention to remain with PSG for the upcoming season.
Mbappe stated that the President has no impact on his career at present in 2023, as both he and the President share the same goal of him staying in Paris. He further reiterated his commitment to remain at PSG, stating that it is his sole option currently and he is prepared to return for pre-season training.
PSG is currently facing a tough decision regarding Mbappe's contract, as they may have to let him play out his final year without any chance of recovering the massive €180m (£154m) they invested in his transfer from AS Monaco in 2017.
Mbappe has finished as Ligue 1's top scorer in the last five seasons.
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Mbappe has underlined his commitment to PSG
"Ever since I was young, I've grown accustomed to focusing solely on the game at hand, and tomorrow's match is no exception," he confidently stated. "Whatever happens outside of the game is of little importance to me, as I have always been able to balance both. My ultimate goal is to demonstrate my superior skills and prove that I am a remarkable player."
France coach Didier Deschamps also stood by Mbappe, who was named the team's captain in March.
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Mbappe is in search of Champions League glory with PSG
Deschamps stated that Kylian is an integral part of the team, and they frequently have discussions with him as he is the captain. Despite being in the spotlight more often, Kylian remains calm and collected, with no impact on the team's dynamics.