Mbappe says things are warmer and colder with Neymar at PSG

FT Desk

6 Sept 2022 07:00 BST
3 min read

Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, PSG, 2021/22 — © ProShots

Kylian Mbappe signed a bumper new contract at PSG May, explicitly moving above Neymar in the French capital club's pecking order.

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Mbappe had reportedly already agreed terms with Real Madrid, with the Spanish giants attempting to take PSG to court when the French World Cup winner reneged on becoming their next Galactico.

Neymar was duly linked with a move away from Paris, with Juventus, both Manchester sides and Chelsea all reportedly interested - and among the few in world football who could afford his astronomical wages.

🤯 Five years ago today, Neymar signed for #PSG in a world-record €222m deal.

💥 Now he's back to his best!pic.twitter.com/YaaP9SLu5Y
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 3, 2022

But no move materialised, and Neymar's contract rolled over until 2027 before the start of the current campaign.

The Brazilian has plundered nine goals and six assists in seven games since. Three of those have been penalties that Mbappe could have taken, but the Frenchman could take one back off his teammate against Juventus on Tuesday night.

'Sometimes colder and sometimes warmer'

"It is my sixth year with Neymar," he reflected ahead of the game. "We have always had a relationship like this, based on respect, sometimes colder and sometimes warmer. I have great respect for him and his influence on the team.

"I don't know [who would take a penalty against Juventus], we'll see. We have to see how it goes during the match. Being first-choice doesn't mean you're going to take all penalties. You have to know how to divide the cake."

Both players seem locked in a PSG now, with the return on investment on 30-year-old Neymar getting ever smaller despite his fine form, while Mbappe's own deal runs until 2025.

Real could come back in for him at that point - he would still only be 26 - although club president Florentino Perez is scorned for now. "Poor man, he will already be sorry," he said after Mbappe's about-turn.