France’s Kylian Mbappe is back with PSG. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Kylian Mbappé is back on the Paris Saint-Germain training squad after two weeks of practicing separately during his contract standoff with the French superclub.
“Following very constructive and positive discussions between Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappe before the PSG – Lorient game, the player has been reinstated into the first team training squad this morning,” PSG said in a statement Sunday.
Those talks reportedly occurred ahead of the club’s opening game of the season, a shutout draw against Lorient at the Parc des Princes on Sunday. Mbappé was seen watching the game from the stands.
“Kylian is committed to PSG. Kylian is back”, PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi told the club the day of the match, according to soccer insider Fabrizio Romano.
Both parties are still reportedly discussing different options for a new deal, including a potential exit clause for 2024, Romano reported.
Mbappé, one of soccer’s most valuable stars, told PSG he intended to leave in June. He was dropped from the club’s summer tour a month later and turned down multiple offers presented to him by the club afterward, including a record transfer offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.
He began preseason training with other players PSG made available for trade, including Georginio Wijnaldum, Julian Draxler and Leandro Paredes.
In August, star Brazilian forward Neymar became the second high-profile athlete to ask out of PSG. The 31-year-old is reportedly nearing a deal with Al-Hilal, Romano reported Sunday. Another ex-PSG star, Lionel Messi, also left this summer for Inter Miami.
Throughout negotiations, PSG was clear that Mbappé wouldn’t be able to leave the club for free, but maintained hope the dispute with him would be resolved. He finished as Ligue 1’s top scorer in the past five seasons and signed a contract extension last year after PSG rejected an offer from Real Madrid.
The club returns to Ligue 1 action against Toulouse on Saturday. It’s unclear if Mbappé will take the pitch for that match.
