Kylian Mbappe makes transfer promise as he prepares for Real Madrid meeting

Paris Saint-Germain are gearing up for the return of the Champions League with all the focus in Paris on finally getting their hands on Europe’s premier club crown, while their next opponents, Real Madrid, are increasingly confident of signing Kylian Mbappe this summer

Kylian Mbappe insists he has still made no decision over his future as he prepares to knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League.

The France international is expected to move to the Santiago Bernabeu on a free transfer when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires this summer.

Mbappe is Los Blancos No.1 target, with Madrid president Florentino Perez desperate to take the 23-year-old to the Spanish capital for nothing – having offered PSG £170million back on the final day of the summer transfer window in August, a move which infuriated the French giants.

Since January 1, the World Cup winner has been free to negotiate and sign a pre-contract agreement, with reports that a five-year deal, worth £200million, has already been signed.

Yet PSG are, publicly, insisting that they remain hopeful Mbappe will sign a new contract at the Parc des Princes.

Mbappe, booed at points this season by PSG fans, has been in excellent form during a somewhat turbulent campaign for Mauricio Pochettino’s side and was again on target in Sunday’s 5-1 thrashing of Lille, his 19th goal of the season for PSG.

Speaking after the game, he was asked about moving to the club he supported as a child; once again, Mbappe claimed he remains yet to make a decision and promised his only focus when the two clubs meet in the Champions League last 16 is on ending Carlo Ancelotti’s hopes of more European glory.

“If I have made a decision over my future? No,” he told Amazon Prime Video.

“Playing against Real Madrid changes a lot of things. Although I have the freedom to do what I want in this moment, I am not going to speak with a rival or do that type of thing.

“I am concentrated on winning against Real Madrid. And then we will see what happens.”

PSG moved 13 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 with their victory, with Lionel Messi scoring just his second league goal since moving from Barcelona last summer.

And Pochettino insists Messi remains the world’s best player after a difficult debut campaign.

“I had no doubts, Leo is the best player in the world,” he said.

“Like anyone, he needs time to adapt. He needed time to recover his best physical shape, after a month without playing because of the Covid.

“It’s important that Leo shows such participation and commitment.”

PSG play host to Madrid on February 15 at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of their last 16 clash, before the return in the Spanish capital on March 9.