Real Madrid believe Kylian Mbappe will announce a decision on his future this weekend, sources have told ESPN, with the uncertainty surrounding the situation causing ‘nerves and confusion’ over the club’s chances of signing the Paris Saint striker -Germain.
According to sources, there is ‘pessimism’ in Madrid over the potential deal, while there is a similar level of uncertainty at PSG. Earlier this week, sources close to the Ligue 1 champions told ESPN that the club had given up on keeping Mbappe as they believed he would join Madrid.
However, while Mbappe is expected to announce his final decision in the coming days, the France international hasn’t communicated it to any club.
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Madrid – who have known for months that the player has agreed to a move to the Bernabeu – don’t understand his behavior over the past two weeks, sources have said.
The club are nervous at this late stage as they haven’t received confirmation that Mbappe intends to formally accept their offer or stay in Paris.
The two clubs find themselves in a tense standoff as they expect the player to speak publicly this weekend.
Throughout this season, Madrid have remained in contact with Mbappe’s entourage, who had given their word to president Florentino Perez that he would join as a free agent when his contract with PSG expires on the 30th. June.
Sources had told ESPN that the deal was on track and the signing was taken for granted at the Bernabeu, but that confidence was undermined by the lack of information and public statements from Mbappe over the past two last weeks.
At the same time, Madrid understand the particularly difficult context of Mbappe’s situation, sources have said, and that the player has the final say.
The club hadn’t ruled out a late bid from PSG to change Mbappe’s mind, but were confident he would keep his word, despite the pressure he’s faced ‘at all levels’ in recent weeks.
In February, ESPN reported that PSG’s intention was to offer Mbappe a short-term contract extension as Qatar wanted him to remain a PSG player through this year’s World Cup.
PSG’s offer would be significantly higher than Madrid’s.
Sources close to the Madrid dressing room have also told ESPN that they now feel more pessimism around Mbappe’s signing.
The club would have preferred the situation not to come to a head days before the Champions League final with Liverpool, but sources said they understood a resolution was now inevitable.