PSG's bid to keep Mbappe could upset Messi

Determined to retain French star

Posted Wednesday, February 09, 2022 by Marca.com

It's no secret that Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe is out of contract next summer, but the French outfit are determined to hold on to him, even if it means risking upsetting Lionel Messi in the process.

Real Madrid have been very open in their pursuit of Mbappe and are prepared to offer him a contract that would surpass his current deal and put him close to the money that Neymar is on at PSG.

PSG's Mbappe plan

The Parisians' plan to counter that is rather bold: they intend to tempt the 23-year-old to prolong his stay in France by offering him a short-term contract as the team's highest-paid player.

PSG are prepared to not only blow Real Madrid's offer out the water in the short term, but put the France international on more money than Neymar and Lionel Messi.

For context, Messi earns about 41 million euros per year, while Mbappe is currently on a yearly salary of 18 million euros. It's an astronomical bid and shows PSG's determination, or perhaps desperation, to keep their young star a little while longer.

It also begs the question: how would Messi and Neymar react to their younger teammate suddenly being made the team's top earner? It could potentially shift the dynamics and hierarchy of the squad, but it's clearly a risk that the Parisian club are prepared to take.

Mbappe recently insisted he has yet to make up his mind about his future. Meanwhile, on the pitch, next week sees PSG face none other than Real Madrid in the Champions League.