Amid Mbappé contract standoff, PSG president says club cannot let France star leave as a free agent

1 of 2 | France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal by a penalty shoot during the Euro 2024 group B qualifying soccer match between France and Greece at the Stade de France, outside Paris, Monday, June 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

2 of 2 | Newly named PSG coach Luis Enrique, left, follows PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi at the new Paris-Saint-Germain training ground Wednesday, July 5, 2023 in Poissy, west of Paris. Paris Saint-Germain fired coach Christophe Galtier after a disappointing season on and replaced him with former Spain and Barcelona manager Luis Enrique. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

PARIS (AP) — The high-stakes game between Kylian Mbappé and Paris Saint-Germain about the superstar France forward’s future was ramped up Wednesday.

PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi insisted the club cannot let Mbappé leave as a free agent next year and get no transfer fee in return.

“We can’t let one of the best players in the world go for free,” al-Khelaïfi said at a news conference to confirm hiring former Spain and Barcelona coach Luis Enrique.

Mbappé is clearly wanted by Real Madrid, the club he has admired since childhood.

The 24-year-old forward has one year left on his PSG contract and informed the club by letter last month he will not take up an option to renew it for the 2024-25 season.

Mbappé also said he expects to start the new season in Paris in August and that “staying at Paris Saint-Germain is my only option, for the moment.”

Running down his contract to leave PSG in one year’s time would mean the French champion losing out on a transfer fee likely to exceed the world record 222 million euros (then $262 million) it paid Barcelona for Neymar six years ago.

As a free agent, Mbappé could command a colossal signing-on fee if Madrid did not have to pay PSG for the transfer.

PSG would prefer that Mbappé renews for one year which would protect its investment and oblige another club to buy him if he did insist on leaving in 2024, potentially after playing for France in the Paris Olympics.

The gold-medal match is on Aug. 9 next year, likely at Parc des Princes stadium that has been Mbappé’s home with PSG since 2017.