Kylian Mbappé announces he is leaving PSG after seven years

French forward posts video announcing departure on social media, with a move to Real Madrid expected

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward #07 Kylian Mbappé. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP via Getty
Paris Saint-Germain's French forward #07 Kylian Mbappé. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP via Getty

Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé has announced that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season, following long-term speculation about his future.

The Parisian native posted a video on social media channels where he stated he will not extend his contract at the club where he has played since 2017.

“The journey will come to an end in a few weeks,” Mbappé said. “I will play my last game at Parc de Princes. It’s a lot of emotions, many years I had the chance to be a part of the biggest club in France.

“It’s hard, and I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that I’m leaving the country, France, and Ligue 1, a championship I’ve always known, but I think I needed a new challenge after seven years.”

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Mbappé is PSG’s all-time top scorer, despite being just 25 years old, with 255 goals in 306 games. He has been named Ligue 1 Player of the Year a record four times, and has finished as the Ligue 1 top scorer for a joint-record five seasons.

The 2018 World Cup winner is expected to join Real Madrid in the summer, who have been pursuing him for a number of years.

David Gorman

David Gorman

David Gorman is a sports journalist with The Irish Times