Bust-up with Enrique? Mbappe sulks as PSG plan for life after Real Madrid move

Tom Weber

• Updated: 19 Dec 2023 10:48 GMT
• 3 min read

Kylian Mbappe's sulk against Lille at the weekend likely won't influence his decision on his future, according to French media.

Rumours linking the Frenchman to Real Madrid were reignited in the wake of his performance against Lille. Mbappe's body language throughout the game was poor and PSG were held to a 1-1 draw by one of the season's surprise packages.

PSG are no closer to tying the 24-year-old down to a new deal than they were last season and he will therefore be free to choose his next club in January, something the French giants are desperate to stop. However, claims that his showing at the weekend was a clear sign of him being ready to depart are wide off the mark, asserts L'Equipe.

The crux of the weekend's issue was simply the fact that Mbappe was forced to play as a central striker rather than in his preferred left-wing position. Despite head coach Luis Enrique claiming after the match that "Kylian plays where he decides" and that “he has total freedom to play, whether it's inside or on the wing," it was actually a conscious decision to play him there because of his lack of defensive work.

Bust-up with Enrique?

L'Equipe asserts that this is not a big issue, however. There is no rift between Mbappe and Enrique over the latter playing the former out of position. The French outlet states that the 24-year-old has always had up-and-down relationships with his coaches.

Enrique has been quite clear about Mbappe's importance to his side and that he is the main man in his PSG project. The weekend's episode will have done little to change that.

That does not mean that PSG are completely at peace about the general Mbappe situation, though. His contract is still causing headaches and the French giants are drawing up two plans for the future, one with Mbappe and one without, according to the above-mentioned report. The ball is in the player's court.