PSG ‘decide’ Mbappe’s replacement

Paris Saint-Germain are now said to have identified Kylian Mbappe’s replacement should he leave in this window.

There is growing tension between the club and the French superstar at the Parc des Princes, with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi sharply emphasising in a press conference on Wednesday that he expected Mbappe to sign a one-year contract extension by 31 July, otherwise he will be sold next month to the highest bidder.  

Real Madrid remain the likeliest next destination for the 24-year-old despite the Spanish club suffering several setbacks in their lengthy chase for his signature. The player has also insisted that the 2023/24 campaign will be his last for the Ligue 1 giants and will not sign an extension, and therefore depart as a free agent in July next year.

With Al-Khelaifi having made it clear this week that they “don’t want to lose the best player in the world for free”, Mbappe’s sale in the current window is now a foreseeable event.

As such, PSG have now made FC Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele their priority target if the France captain departs, according to

The report claims that new Les Parisiens boss Luis Enrique is an admirer of the the winger, and that the French club is prepared to activate the 26-year-old’s €50 million (R1 billion) release clause at Barca.

However, the Blaugrana themselves are hoping to tie him down to a new contract soon, with negotiations over an extension at the Camp Nou said to be going positively since commencing last week, according to

Dembele’s current deal runs until June 2024, but the two parties are now understood to be exchanging proposals over new terms until June 2027, with the option of a further year. 

It is said the former Borussia Dortmund star understands the LaLiga giants’ financial issues, and is open to accepting a lowered salary but with highly incentivised bonuses to extend his stay in Catalonia.