The outlet goes as far as saying that Liverpool is “the most credible and dangerous candidate” for PSG regarding Mbappé’s future. Le Parisien adds that Reds manager Jürgen Klopp’s nine-year-long unwavering pursuit of the Parisian-born prodigy does not leave the latter indifferent.

Passing on the baton with Mohamed Salah

With Mohamed Salah’s contract set to expire in 2025 and the Egyptian international courted by Saudi Pro League teams, Liverpool reportedly “dream” of luring Mbappé to Anfield as a statement signing that would allow them to close the gap with Manchester City.

However, Le Parisien understands that leaving Paris next summer would not make much sense for Mbappé, considering he would struggle to find elsewhere an environment as tailor-made for him like PSG. However, the outlet adds that Real Madrid’s hardball tactics to convince him to join the Spanish giants have no chance of succeeding and are even counter-productive. The outlet adds that out of Real Madrid, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, two of those clubs will be bitterly disappointed at failing the opportunity to sign Mbappé next summer.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

PSG have announced the signing of Lucas Beraldo, and it was expected that Moscardo would sign at the same time. However, that will not happen, even if the Brazilian is still set to sign for Les Parisiens, according to L’Équipe. 

Moscardo arrived in Paris, alongside Beraldo, on Friday in order to undergo his medical ahead of a €20m move to PSG, however, a foot injury was detected during the medical. Moscardo has taken to social media to confirm that he will undergo an operation on his left foot, which will see him ruled out for three months. 

However, Moscardo’s move to the Parc des Princes is not in question, despite the setback. According to Fabrizio Romano, more talks will take place this week ahead of the finalisation of the transfer. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆́𝒆

Regardez jusqu'à la fin pic.twitter.com/4qs1Zd35Co

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) January 1, 2024

Heightened competition at the back

The Ligue 1 champions were in the market for a young left-footed centre-back given Presnel Kimpembe’s injury woes. The France international is expected to sit out the remainder of the season. Kimpembe sustained a serious Achilles injury last year. Leeds United’s Pascal Struijk was also considered. Beraldo’s arrival also means heightened competition for a berth at the back of Luis Enrique’s set-up considering Milan Skriniar has not entirely convinced so far on the back of his free transfer from Inter.

“I’m really happy to be joining a club as ambitious as Paris Saint-Germain”, Beraldo added. “This is an important step in my career and one that will help me to move forward. I can’t wait to get to know my new teammates and to take my first steps in this shirt.”

Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain will play French cup winners Toulouse on Wednesday for the Trophée des Champions at the Parc des Princes.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval

In June, Mbappé informed the PSG hierarchy that he would not be triggering the one-year extension, included in his contract, signed back in May 2022. Fearing losing the most valuable player in the world on a free, Les Parisiens’ response was to omit Mbappé from their pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea amidst a wider objective, which was to garner a fee for the France captain. 

PSG optimistic about renewal

However, Mbappé dug in his heels. He publically repeated the claim that whilst he was unwilling to renew, he would be seeing out the final year of his contract at the Parc des Princes. That stance was tested when PSG reportedly accepted a world-record €300m bid from Al-Hilal, but Mbappé stood firm.

Whilst Mbappé ultimately re-integrated the first team following PSG’s opening day draw against FC Lorient, there has been little talk of a renewal. The facilitator of Mbappé’s re-integration is reportedly the Frenchman’s acceptance to forego considerable loyalty bonuses. 

However, despite Mbappé now being able to discuss a pre-contract agreement with other clubs, ahead of a free transfer, there is optimism at PSG. According to The Athletic and L’Équipe, Les Parisiens are growing increasingly optimistic that Mbappé will once again shun interest and remain at the club. 

Finances limit Mbappé suitors

Mbappé’s perceived happiness at the club, following some big-name departures in the summer and the reconstruction of the project by Luis Enrique and Luís Campos, both of whom he shares good relations with, is a source of hope for PSG, who will be desperate to avoid the fiasco that marred the second half of the 2021/22 season.

Another source of optimism for PSG is the lack of suitors for Mbappé. The Frenchman, although arriving potentially on a free, would have extortionate wage demands, limiting the number of clubs that could feasibly pull off a deal. “There is no chance [of signing Mbappé], absolutely no chance. Sorry for killing the idea,” said Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp in November, citing the financial barriers to a move. 

Manchester City, one of the few clubs financially capable of signing Mbappé, are also unlikely to make a move. “Manchester City aren’t after Mbappé. Everyone knows where he wants to go,” said Pep Guardiola back in June. As reported by RMC Sport, Barcelona’s reported interest in signing the AS Monaco academy product is unfounded, and given the Catalan club’s financial difficulties, completely unrealistic. 

Real Madrid and Saudi Arabia in the race

As things stand, only Real Madrid and Saudi Arabia have the means to sign Mbappé. A move to the latter seems unlikely, given the Frenchman’s rejection of a move in the summer. However, that has not deterred Michael Emenalo, the Suadi Pro League Director of Football. 

“With Mbappé, the conversation is open,” Emenalo began in an interview with Marca earlier in December. “But we don’t know what he wants to do. Our position is clear: all of these kinds of players know where we are. If there is a possibility or an interest from Mbappé to be a part of what we’re building, today or in the future, we can’t reject the possibility. It is a player that I like.”

The more likely scenario sees Mbappé heading to Real Madrid this summer. According to The Athletic, Real Madrid are preparing a limited-time offer for Mbappé, who must respond to the proposal by mid-January. The offer is likely to be less lucrative than the one offered back in 2022. Whilst Mbappé is now free to negotiate with any club, he is not exactly spoilt for choice. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Damien Martinelli, Nice’s Public Prosecutor, has told Nice-Matin that the judgement would not be contested. It brings an end to an affair that began back in April when an email from former colleague and Nice sporting director Julien Fournier, containing allegations of racism, was leaked. A full transcript of the email can be read here. 

It remains to be seen whether Galtier will initiate his own proceedings against Romain Molina and RMC Sport’s Daniel Riolo, who began the affair when they released the leaked email. Whilst Galtier’s entourage are yet to make a decision on this, the likelihood is that no attempts will be made to re-initiate proceedings. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Les Parisiens believe there is a strong chance that Mbappé will agree to extend his time at the Parc des Princes, L’Équipe report. The France international has an option to extend his contract at PSG and the club believe that no new major negotiations will have to take place due to this option being in place. Instead, just a few small details would have to be addressed to conclude an extension of the former Monaco forward’s time in the French capital. 

Mbappé is happy at the club and this instils confidence among Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and other PSG officials that he will extend his time with the Ligue 1 champions. However, there is still Real Madrid to contend with. 

An offer awaits from Real Madrid 

Florentino Perez still plans to bring Kylian Mbappé to Madrid and is his priority for the summer transfer window, according to L’Équipe. The French publication reports that Real Madrid will establish contact over a potential move to the Spanish capital imminently. The Athletic report that this offer will include a timeframe to prevent any of the previous shenanigans from the transfer fiasco in 2022 occurring again. 

A less steadfast approach 

Kylian Mbappé is still wanted by Real Madrid, there is no doubt about that. However, Los Blancos insist that they are no longer obsessed with the prospect of bringing the France captain to the Santiago Bernabéu. L’Équipe reports that the La Liga giants do not see the transfer as integral to their sporting project if they are unable to capture the signature of Mbappé. 

GFFN | Liam Wraith

Real Madrid are long-standing fans of Mbappé having made considerable attempts to sign the France captain in 2021 and 2022. It had looked as if Mbappé would move to the Bernabeu on a free transfer in 2022, only for the forward to ultimately extend his stay at the Parc des Princes. 

However, with Mbappé rejecting the opportunity to trigger the one-year extension included in his deal at PSG, he will be a free agent at the end of the season. As a result, the Frenchman is free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with other clubs from 1st January. 

Less lucrative offer awaits Mbappé

Unsurprisingly, Real Madrid are now set to make a fresh approach for Mbappé. However, the La Liga side have learnt from their past mistakes. No deadline was set for Mbappé to accept Real Madrid’s offer in the past, but that will not be the case this time around. According to The Athletic, Mbappé must make a decision on whether he will accept the offer to join Real Madrid by mid-January, so as to avoid a repeat of their previous pursuits. 

However, it is likely that the offer proposed to Mbappé will be less lucrative than that offered back in 2022. Real Madrid are conscious of turning a profit every year, whilst they are also wary of disrupting the dynamic within the dressing room by bringing a new player in on such a bumper salary.

Mbappé has remained in direct contact with President Florentino Perez, who remains a big fan of the France captain, even despite previous failed attempts to lure the AS Monaco academy product away from the Parc des Princes.

Mbappé to sign PSG renewal?

According to reports in France, there are currently no signs of Mbappé renewing his contract at PSG, and as he told the club’s hierarchy in the summer, he is reticent to do so. His unwillingness to trigger a one-year extension or sign a new contract was the source of a bitter dispute between Mbappé and PSG in the summer, which saw the former omitted from the latter’s pre-season tour. 

Mbappé was, ultimately, re-integrated into the first-team set-up, having missed the opening day of the Ligue 1 season, and according to The Athletic, there is “optimism” that Mbappé may sign a renewal at PSG. He is currently Ligue 1’s top scorer with 18 goals. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

For Ekitiké, it was a dream to sign for PSG, but it quickly turned into a nightmare. The Frenchman endured a difficult debut campaign at the Parc des Princes. Under new manager Luis Enrique, Ektiké was never truly given a chance. It was reported by Le Parisien that Ekitiké was one of the players that PSG were looking to sell in the summer. Les Parisiens’ signing of Gonçalo Ramos, and then Randal Kolo Muani, was a clear indication that Ekitiké was surplus to requirements. 

Ekitiké’s refusal to be part of the deal that saw Kolo Muani join PSG saw the former dropped from the first team entirely. The club’s hierarchy were reportedly “furious” with Ekitiké’s decision to reject the move to Eintracht Frankfrut. His unwillingness to move has seen him banished from the set-up. 

Ekitiké eager to secure January move

His entourage has told L’Équipe that Ekitiké’s mental health has suffered as a result. The social media insults, the lack of competition and the removal from certain first-team sessions have all taken a toll. Whilst Ekitiké was reticent to leave PSG in the summer, at least at such short notice, the same will not be the case in January. 

Ekitiké has made efforts to maintain a good level of fitness and he is now willing to make an effort to leave PSG. Serie A and Bundesliga sides have shown an interest in the Frenchman, and according to L’Équipe, an official offer has even been received. The identity of the bidder is yet to be revealed. 

PSG want to sell Ekitiké without making a loss, but given his lack of game time over the past 18 months, that may prove difficult. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Paris Saint-Germain’s off-loading of Lionel Messi and Neymar last summer cleared the way to begin creating a very different type of squad at the Parc des Princes. Arguably Kang-In Lee epitomises the new PSG.

Over two seasons at Valencia, he marked himself out as a huge talent, while at the same time starring for the South Korea national team, winning the Golden Ball for best player as his two goals and four assists led South Korea to second place in the 2019 U20 World Cup.

He joined Mallorca in the summer of 2021 and, after a first season in which he played regularly but did not have the greatest of returns statistically, last campaign he became their talisman, playing as the deeper lying forward. He was rated in the top 1% of dribblers in Europe’s major leagues and ended the season with six goals and seven assists (four of each coming in 2023) as Mallorca secured a top 10 La Liga finish.

His stand-out performances attracted PSG, who were looking to adapt their transfer policy from superstars with questionable motivation to those with a proven European pedigree but still with something to prove.

Kang-in Lee’s versatility a useful arm for Luis Enrique

The start of his PSG career has been a slow-burner. He missed the beginning of the season as he was helping South Korea to Asian Games gold and was then held up a little by injury niggles. The left-footer also “suffers” from being one of those players without a clearly set position: he has featured in every conceivable position in the attacking third of the field, while also proving a very capable number 8 and – in his most recent match against Metz – starring as a left wing-back.

Enrique himself, who has named him as a starter in Lee’s ten Ligue 1 appearances as well as in the final two matches of the Champions League group stage, is full of praise for him: “He’s a joy, a magnificent player. He can play on the wing, upfront, in midfield, he works defensively, he scores goals. He has personality and physicality […] he makes good decisions under pressure and he is hungry.”

The contrast with other left-sided players of PSG’s recent past couldn’t be starker and, while he is not (yet) so stellar a name, Lee’s skill set and attitude may yet see him help PSG to achieve their biggest ambitions.

GFFN | Jeremy Smith