Fifpro, Paris Mayor wades into Mbappe/PSG impasse
The biggest football players union in the Fifpro and the Mayor of Paris on Tuesday took sides in the contract stalemate between Paris Saint-Germain and it star Kylian Mbappe.
Fifpro slammed PSG for their treatment of Kylian Mbappe as they attempt to force the Frenchman out the exit door.
Fifpro general secretary, Jonas Baer-Hoffmann is unhappy with how Mbappe is being treated.
'He has every right to honour and play out the remainder of his contract and then take a decision on who he wants to play and work for,' Baer-Hoffmann told The Times.
'This is the essence of the Bosman ruling and the freedom won by players — establishing free agency at the end of the contract.
'Many players are often criticised by clubs and fans for wanting to leave their club during a contract, pushing for a transfer. Now a top player actually honours his commitment and he gets pressured for it,' he added.
But Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo voiced her displeasure at the nation's premier club losing the country's prized footballing asset.
Hidalgo, who took office in 2014, made an appearance on BFM TV on Tuesday morning and questioned PSG's thinking.
'They have the best player in the world and they are willing not to play with him,' she said. 'I admit that I don't understand anything. You have to keep it in Paris.'
Even before Al-Hilal's unprecedented approach, the prospect of Mbappe staying in Paris beyond 2024 seemed remote.
Determined not to acquiesce to the frontman's plan, PSG are seemingly willing to let the club's record goalscorer sit on the bench for the entirety of the upcoming campaign.
The decision to leave him out of their squad for their trip to Japan, which began with a 0-0 draw against Al-Nassr, was the clearest indication yet of their reluctance to simply allow Mbappe to run down his deal without consequence.
As it turns out, Al-Hilal's offer, which will reportedly be worth £173.2m-a-year and will include a release clause that would allow him to get his dream move to Real Madrid next summer, offers all parties a beneficial solution.
Though according to Relevo, Mbappe has no intention to play in the country despite the stunning offer on the table.
The Madrid-based outlet claims the forward is set on seeing out the final year of his contract with the reigning French champions and is 'willing to sit on the bench all season' as he runs down his deal.
