Amid Mbappé contract standoff, PSG president says club cannot let France star leave as a free agent #Mbappé #contract #standoff #PSG #president #club #France #star #leave #free #agent

PARIS (AP) — The high-stakes game between Kylian Mbappé and Paris Saint-Germain about the superstar France forward’s future was ramped up Wednesday.

PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi insisted the club cannot let Mbappé leave as a free agent next year and get no transfer fee in return.

“We can’t let one of the best players in the world go for free,” al-Khelaïfi said at a news conference to confirm hiring former Spain and Barcelona coach Luis Enrique.

FILE - PSG's goalkeeper Sergio Rico holds the ball during the Champions League semifinal soccer match between RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. Rico was discharged from an intensive care unit on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, five weeks after sustaining a head injury following an accident with a horse. (David Ramos/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Sergio Rico has been discharged from an intensive care unit five weeks after sustaining a head injury following an accident with a horse.

Newly named PSG coach Luis Enrique speaks during a press conference at the new Paris-Saint-Germain training ground Wednesday, July 5, 2023 in Poissy, west of Paris. Paris Saint-Germain fired coach Christophe Galtier after a disappointing season on and replaced him with former Spain and Barcelona manager Luis Enrique. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Paris Saint-Germain has fired coach Christophe Galtier after a disappointing season. Former Spain and Barcelona manager Luis Enrique is taking over as his successor.

Brazilian soccer player Neymar watches during the first half of Game 4 of the basketball NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets, Friday, June 9, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Brazilian soccer star Neymar was fined more than $3.3 million for violating local environmental rules during renovations at his mansion in the city of Mangaratiba outside Rio de Janeiro.

FILE - PSG's head coach Christophe Galtier enters to the field prior to their French League One soccer match against Lens at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, April 15, 2023. Christophe Galtier is being detained with his son John Valovic-Galtier as part of an investigation into racism allegations at his former club, according to a justice official on Friday, June 30. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, file)

A French prosecutor says Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier has been summoned to stand trial in December as part of an investigation into racism allegations at his former club Nice.

Mbappé is clearly wanted by Real Madrid, the club he has admired since childhood.

The 24-year-old forward has one year left on his PSG contract and informed the club by letter last month he will not take up an option to renew it for the 2024-25 season.

Mbappé also said he expects to start the new season in Paris in August and that “staying at Paris Saint-Germain is my only option, for the moment.”

Running down his contract to leave PSG in one year’s time would mean the French champion losing out on a transfer fee likely to exceed the world record 222 million euros (then $262 million) it paid Barcelona for Neymar six years ago.

As a free agent, Mbappé could command a colossal signing-on fee if Madrid did not have to pay PSG for the transfer.

PSG would prefer that Mbappé renews for one year which would protect its investment and oblige another club to buy him if he did insist on leaving in 2024, potentially after playing for France in the Paris Olympics.

The gold-medal match is on Aug. 9 next year, likely at Parc des Princes stadium that has been Mbappé’s home with PSG since 2017.