Mbappe leaves door open for future Real Madrid transfer despite snubbing La Liga giants for PSG stay

• New contract signed in France
• Blancos left frustrated
• Deal could still happen at some stage

WHAT HAPPENED? The France international forward was heavily linked with the Blancos as a deal at Parc des Princes ran down towards free agency in the summer of 2022. He eventually committed to fresh terms through to 2025, but the World Cup winner is not ruling out a future switch to Spain.

WHAT THEY SAID: Mbappe has told the New York Times when asked about his links to Real: “You never know what is going to happen. I've never been there but it seems like it's my house or something.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: A discussion with French president Emmanuel Macron led to Mbappe signing a new contract at PSG, with the 23-year-old adding: “I never imagined I was going to talk with the president about my future, about my future in my career, so it's something crazy, really something crazy. He told me 'I want you to stay, I don't want you to leave now as you are so important for the country'. He said 'You have time to leave, you can stay a little bit more'. Of course, when the president says that to you, that counts.”

AND WHAT'S MORE: Real were also linked with Erling Haaland over the summer, but he ended up at Manchester City. A successor to Karim Benzema will be required at some stage, and that could be Mbappe.

STORY IN TWO PHOTOS:

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Getty Images

WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE? A global superstar has been in fine form again at the start of the 2022-23 campaign, with seven goals registered for PSG through five games as they prepare to open another Champions League quest at home to Juventus.