PSG's Kylian Mbappe agreement that could protect them from Real Madrid free transfer

Kylian Mbappe intends to finish this season with Paris Saint-Germain, despite not yet making a decision over his long-term future, with the French giants calm over the situation.

Mbappe's contract with PSG is due to expire at the end of the season, having signed a new two-year deal in May 2022. The player has been heavily linked with a 2024 switch to Real Madrid, which he is already able to negotiate after entering the final six months of his current contract.

But Mbappe has publicly stated he is yet to make a decision on where he will be next season. That decision is not pre-determined and will ultimately be based on how he views the PSG project in the coming months. Having ultimately stayed last summer, it was then always his intention to complete the 2023/24 campaign at Parc des Princes, seeing it as a chance to finally get his hands on the Champions League trophy but also potentially finishing his time in the city with the 2024 Olympics.

PSG wouldn't be out of pocket if Mbappe leaves, even if that is as a free agent. 90min understands there is a legally binding agreement between club and player regarding a sum of up to €80m (£69m) that Mbappe would return in the event of leaving at the end of his contract without a transfer fee.

This number is variable and not simply Mbappe waiving his loyalty bonus. Other factors are also considered to calculate the final amount in what is described by sources as a complicated legal agreement, and one based on how and when Mbappe exits should that occur. He has already forgone some of his loyalty bonus due last year, though, enough to convince PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi of his commitment to the club. Should Mbappe extend, he will receive back the money waived.

The 24-year-old alluded to that agreement when he spoke this week: "I haven't made my decision yet. I haven't made a choice. With the agreement I had with the president in the summer, my decision is not important as we managed to protect all the parties and preserved the serenity of the club for the challenges to come, which is the most important."

The figure in question is close to what PSG might have been able to sell him for with a contract nearing its expiry and so the club still won't end up with nothing in such a scenario. It is for this reason that PSG are not anxious about how the next few months could unfold.

The reigning French champions aren't ruling out securing a contract renewal. If Mbappe's decision is to stay, it will likely take the form of an extension until 2025. A longer-term contract would conversely be with the intention of facilitating a future move, protecting his market value.

If the decision is that Mbappe chooses Real Madrid, it doesn't make much difference to the Spanish giants how and when that happens. If it were to be now, they would pay a transfer fee to PSG, but even if there is no need to part with a transfer fee come summer, they would end up paying a huge signing fee to Mbappe instead. Either way, a deal comes with significant cost.

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