Kylian Mbappe 'has not trained for weeks' ahead of leaving PSG this summer before an expected move to Real Madrid
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Kylian Mbappe may already have played his last game for Paris Saint-Germain – despite the club facing a Coupe de France final against Lyon on Saturday evening.
The French superstar forward broke the worst-kept secret in football last week when he announced he would leave PSG as a free agent at the end of the season, with a big-money move to Real Madrid expected to follow.
According to RMC Sport journalist Daniel Riolo, Mbappe has been mentally checked out at PSG since their elimination from the Champions League at Borussia Dortmund’s hands in the semi-finals earlier this month and has not even been in training ‘for weeks and weeks’.
Ousmane Dembele could follow Kylian Mbappe out of PSG
Dembele could be following Mbappe out of the PSG exit door (Image credit: Getty Images)
Luis Enrique’s side eased to yet another French title this season, beating Monaco to the Ligue 1 trophy by nine points, and will now wrap up the campaign with their domestic cup final this weekend.
But according to Riolo, there’s a good chance that Mbappe will continue to be omitted for that showdown with Lyon, just as he has been for PSG’s past two league games.
He said: “The logic now is that Mbappe no longer plays at all. There has been a break with the club. Luis Enrique cannot manage him; like with Nasser [Al-Khelaifi, PSG president], they don't even say hello anymore.
“In any case, he doesn't deserve [to play]. He doesn't train anymore, he's not good. The story is over. If he doesn't win the Coupe de France, we'll still talk about a successful season.”
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Team-mate Ousmane Dembele is also in hot water for having joined Mbappe in entering summer holiday mode early, with Riolo adding: “Mbappe, you can understand, it’s a break.
Mbappe will be starring for France at Euro 2024 this summer (Image credit: Alamy)
"But the fact that Dembele is on videos, that we see him partying in Cannes…it's absolutely abnormal. It's already abnormal for Mbappe but he’s been distant for months. The more he can give off a bad image and defy what is needed, the more he will do it.
“On the other hand, Dembele is still under contract, he is supposed to stay and has just arrived [last year from Barcelona].
“He’s supposed to be a key player for next year; yet on the last day of the season, he is not there, which is very surprising. Why is he not there, not even on the bench? Against Dortmund, he played barely half an hour. Why?
“Being in Cannes when he was injured would be bad enough, but I don't think he is [injured] on these videos that everyone has seen.
“I'm preparing for Dembele's departure anyway; Luis Enrique doesn't like him.”
Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
