Paris Saint-Germain Chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi has told L'Equipe that superstar Kylian Mbappe is going nowhere. Speculation has been rife that the France international could move on after a UEFA Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich and semifinal loss to Manchester City over the past two seasons.
However, Al-Khelaifi has said that Mbappe will not be sold or allowed to leave on a free transfer at the end of his contract in the summer of 2022 with extension talks progressing.
"I will be clear: Kylian will be staying in Paris," said the Qatari. "We are never going to sell him, and he will never leave for free. I never give details to the press about ongoing negotiations. All I can say is that it is coming along nicely.
"I hope that we will find a common ground. It is Paris, Kylian's country and he has a mission: not just to be a football player, but to promote the French league, his country and the capital city."
Nasser al-Khelaïfi, le président du PSG, dans le dernier carré européen ces deux dernières saisons, assure que le club de la capitale n'entend pas s'arrêter là. Et annonce que le Qatar est présent « pour longtemps ».
— L'ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) June 6, 2021
Entretien à retrouver ici > https://t.co/LRzV1mEne5 pic.twitter.com/BCGAeaWQu3
Neymar recently extended his contract with PSG until 2025 and Al-Khelaifi revealed that Neymar's former club Barcelona tried everything to lure the Brazilian superstar back to Camp Nou and hinted that the La Liga giants' financial problems meant they could not afford the $270 million man.
"Finding an agreement with Neymar was not complicated," said the Parisien boss. "I remain convinced that he is one of the best players in the world. If the new deal took a long time, that was because of the crisis and their impact on the talks.
"I never had the slightest doubt that Neymar would extend. Even if the club you mentioned (Barca) tried for Neymar up until the very end. Obviously, we declined. I believe this club has some economic problems, but that is none of our business.
"Neymar believes in our project, loves the club, the city, and the supporters. He is totally invested and still wants to win lots of trophies here. I am proud of the relationship that we have built. He has told me that he wants to finish his career with PSG."
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has recently been linked with a potential return to former club Tottenham Hotspur, but Al-Khelaifi does not get the impression that the Argentine wants to leave the French capital outfit.
"At the end of the season, I met with Mauricio twice and both for two to three hours each," said the 47-year-old. "He never told me that he wanted to leave. He never had an attitude that suggested he wanted out. Quite the reverse. Mauricio was totally involved on all topics, and he speaks almost every single day with Leonardo about the transfer window and players."
With Georginio Wijnaldum on his way to PSG from Liverpool after Barca's free transfer bid was obliterated by Les Parisiens, AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is another target reaching the end of his contract and on the move this summer with Al-Khelaifi promising a busy window.
"Over the past two years, we have not invested a lot," he said. "That is partly down to the health crisis. However, we made one Champions League final and a semifinal. It shows that we are there. We still need to improve in certain positions, though. We have targeted them, and we know what we want to do.
"This transfer window will be more active than previous ones. We will be present, and we have ambitions for this summer."
PSG won the Coupe de France in 2019-20 after Pochettino replaced Thomas Tuchel mid-season, but Lille OSC were crowned Ligue 1 champions and Manchester City dumped the Ligue 1 giants out of the Champions League in the final four.
