Kylian Mbappe left out of Paris Saint-Germain's pre-season tour as links to Real Madrid intensify

Kylian Mbappe has been left out of Paris Saint-Germain’s pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea amid ongoing speculation linking him to Real Madrid.

Mbappe’s future at the Ligue 1 winners has been unclear for some time due to his reluctance to extend his contract, which expires next summer.

The France international featured and scored in his side’s pre-season win over Le Havre on Friday.

However, he will not fly to Asia like the rest of the squad - including all six of PSG's new signings and his younger brother Ethan, 16 - on Saturday.

According to L’Equipe, PSG are convinced that Mbappe has a deal in place to join Los Blancos on a free transfer next summer.

The Athletic reports that PSG are planning life without him, adding: "The club say they asked the player to clarify his position by July 15th, however, after no communication from Mbappe or his camp this week, they have decided he is intent on leaving the club for free in the summer of 2024, for Real Madrid."

The report continues: "The club are now open to selling Mbappe and are willing to listen to offers for the forward. The club are also said to be willing to bench Mbappe this season if he does not finalise a move to another club this summer.

"The French club, who insist they are confident in their legal position on the situation, are expected to accept considerably less than the €180m they spent to sign the player in 2017 if they sell Mbappe to a European rival."

Earlier this month, PSG’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said Mbappe had two weeks to decide his future and "the door is open" for him to leave.

Al-Khelaifi said: “We want him to stay but he can't leave for free. There was a verbal agreement and he had discussed it in an interview.

“And I was really shocked to learn that he had decided to leave for free. It’s very disappointing because Mbappe is a fantastic boy, a real gentleman and to leave for free, weakening the biggest club in France, it’s not him. When I heard the news, I was shocked and disappointed.

“It’s for him to decide for himself next week, or at most in the next two weeks,” he continued. “And if he does not want to sign a new contract, the door is open. It’s like that for him and everyone else. Nobody is bigger than the club, no player, not even me. It’s very clear.

“By the standards of football, you never see your best player leave for free. It just doesn’t happen.”

You can follow the latest developments of the Mbappe saga in our transfer blog.

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