‘You can’t wrong PSG’: Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s arguments to convince Kylian Mbappé to stay with the champions

Saturday night’s Coupe de France final victory over Olympique Lyonnais (2-1) marked Kylian Mbappé’s (25) last appearance in a Paris Saint-Germain shirt ahead of his departure upon the expiration of his contract this coming June. 

Quiet on the night, as he has been on a regular basis since announcing his departure to the PSG hierarchy in February, the Frenchman signed off in a low-key fashion, picking up his 15th trophy of his prolific seven-year spell with the champions. 

Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s arguments to convince Kylian Mbappé to stay 

It has been revealed by L’Équipe that PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi made several attempts to convince Mbappé to stay in the French capital, using several more or less rational arguments to support his case, such as:

“You cannot betray PSG”

“You can’t leave and strengthen our biggest rival”

“All great players leave money to their clubs when they leave”

“You’re going to legitimise the Super League”

This episode was one of a long line over the course of the very public deterioration of relations between Al-Khelaifi and Mbappé and his entourage. Initially close to the point that the Frenchman would visit the president at home, the outgoing superstar’s reoccurring courtship of Real Madrid in summer transfer windows left a sour taste in the Qatari figurehead’s mouth, leading to the forward being excluded from last summer’s pre season tour, Al Khelaifi furious after offering the player unprecedented power and financial incentives upon the renewal of his contract in the summer of 2022. 

GFFN | Jack McArdle