Kylian Mbappé’s season, in the absence of a few league games that he must complete by simple protocol, has ended. PSG were proclaimed champions of Ligue 1 against Lens at the Parc des Princes (they tied 1-1, a point was enough for them), their only title of the season after falling in the French Super Cup against Lille, in the round of 16 in the Cup final against Nice and in the Champions League round of 16 against Real Madrid. A consolation for the Parisian club, which recovers the national title after last year it was for Lille.
But little else. PSG brought together Messi, Neymar and Mbappé last summer with a single goal, the one they have been pursuing for several seasons, without success: the Champions League. Thus, Mbappé takes one last minor joy (PSG has signed up for eight of the last ten French leagues) to face the decisive days in order to choose his immediate future. This week that he begins he promises to be key in that regard, with his contract ending on June 30.
Mbappé, target of Real Madrid.
AFP
‘L’Équipe’ has already given an account of the trip of his mother, Fayma Lamari, to Qatar last week to meet with the true owners of PSG, the royal family of Qatar; Nasser Al Khelaïfi, president of PSG, is still an emissary of Emir Al Thani, and his decision-making capacity is limited. ‘Le Parisien’ reported some of the requests that Mbappé’s mother would have transferred to the club to consider renewing: improvements in the sports project, a coach capable of leading it (Pochettino will not continue) and the signing of Luis Campos for the sports management, which would mean the dismissal of Leonardo.
Although the French press has also reported that Fayza Lamari’s trip will add another stage this week: Madrid. Mbappé’s mother will travel to the capital of Spain to meet, as confirmed by RMC Sport, with Real Madrid, a meeting in which she will present the issues that still separate the player and the white club. In Madrid they trust the word given by Mbappé last summer and they do not doubt that he will formalize his arrival once June 30 passes.
Mbappé and image rights
At Madrid they know that, when it comes to economic conditions, they cannot compete with PSG. The French club plays with different rules in this regard, boosted by an entire state like Qatar and given the lax economic control rules of the French league and UEFA. If Mbappé arrives in Madrid, it will be because he has chosen to earn less money and sign for a more attractive project in sports and, of course, in history: Not surprisingly, he will change a club that is still chasing its first Champions League for another that is going for its 14th.
However, Madrid has something with which to compensate for this issue: image rights, which tend to be greatly enhanced once a player signs for Madrid and which the club usually shares with its players, so that both benefit from that situation. In special cases, as happened with Cristiano, Madrid gives up part of his half so that the player receives more, a kind of complementary salary.
News in France has indicated that Mbappé would like to own 100% of his image rights; the meeting in Madrid will very probably be able to reach a point of agreement on this issue, to leave everything ready in the absence of officialization. He, at the moment, does not give clues: asked after the game if he had made a decision, he released a brief “no” and disappeared from the mixed zone…