France striker Kylian Mbappe has informed Paris St-Germain of his intention to depart the club at the conclusion of the current season.
The 25-year-old, whose contract with the Ligue 1 champions is set to expire, has been extensively linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Mbappe’s future became a focal point of contention with PSG last summer, leading to a temporary exclusion from the first-team squad and omission from the club’s pre-season tour of Asia.
An agreement was eventually reached to ensure PSG would not face significant losses when Mbappe departs, with the specific terms of his exit yet to be finalized.
While PSG would have preferred to retain Mbappe, his departure aligns with the club’s strategic shift towards building a younger squad, moving away from the ‘Galacticos’ plan.
This shift has already seen the departure of Lionel Messi and Neymar since the end of the previous season.
Mbappe, who earned global recognition by winning the 2018 World Cup with France, commands an estimated annual salary of around €200 million (£171 million).
The departure is expected to involve either a transfer fee or financial concessions on Mbappe’s part, given the existence of a one-year extension clause in his contract.
PSG, currently holding an 11-point lead in the French league, is positioned for success both domestically and in the Champions League, having secured a 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad in the first leg of their last-16 encounter, with Mbappe contributing a goal.
Throughout his tenure at PSG, Mbappe has amassed an impressive record of 243 goals and 93 assists in 290 games, playing a pivotal role in the club’s five Ligue 1 title victories.
Having initially won a French top-flight title with Monaco, Mbappe joined PSG as an 18-year-old in 2017, initially on loan before completing a €180 million (£165.7 million) permanent move.