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Kylian Mbappe has declared his departure from Paris Saint-Germain at the conclusion of the season, with expectations pointing towards his forthcoming move to Real Madrid, while also casting doubt over his involvement at the Paris Olympics.

His announcement brings Los Blancos nearer to concluding their lengthy chase for the French international, widely esteemed as one of the premier talents in global football. PSG will host Toulouse at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, marking Mbappe's last appearance in on home soil. His farewell match for the club is expected to be the French Cup final against Lyon on 15 May.

The 24-year-old said in a video posted to Instagram: "Hi everyone, it's Kylian. I wanted to speak to you. I've always said that I would speak with you when the time comes and so I wanted to announce to you all that it's my last year at Paris Saint-Germain.

"I will not extend and the adventure will come to an end in a few weeks. I will play my last game at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.

"It's a lot of emotions, many years where I had the chance and the great honour to be a member of the biggest French club, one of the best in the world which allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure, to grow as a player of course, by being alongside some of the best in history, some of the greatest champions, to meet a lot of people, to grow as a man as well with all the glory and the mistakes I've made."

He expressed gratitude towards the five managers under whom he has played during his tenure at PSG: Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Christophe Galtier, and Luis Enrique, along with the club's sporting directors.



He added: "Despite everything that can happen on the outside, all this media hype that surrounds the club sometimes, there are some real club lovers who want to protect it and make it shine, and it's great, and I know that with all these people, this club is in great hands.

"It's hard, and I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that, to leave my country, France, the Ligue 1, a championship I have always known but I think, I needed this, a new challenge, after seven years."

The upcoming challenge appears to be awaiting Mbappe in Madrid. In 2017, following his remarkable performances for Monaco, Mbappe came close to signing with Madrid. However, he opted for PSG instead, as the club agreed to a groundbreaking deal, setting a world record for a teenager at €180 million.

During his time at PSG, Mbappe ascended to the role of club captain and emerged as their all-time leading scorer with 255 goals. He also secured six Ligue 1 titles in seven seasons. On the international stage, Mbappe clinched the World Cup with France in 2018 and notably netted a hat-trick in their World Cup final loss to Argentina four years later.


Mbappe will leave PSG at the end of the season and is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer. GETTY IMAGES
Mbappe will leave PSG at the end of the season and is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer. GETTY IMAGES


Mbappe may feature for the France Olympic football team at the Paris Games, but it is not set in stone, and French President Emmanuel Macron has since revealed he put "too much pressure" on the forward to compete at the games, given that they coincide with Real Madrid's summer training camp.

Speaking to the press, the French president said (via GFFN): "Will Mbappe play with France at the Olympics? I hope. In any, case I have put the maximum pressure on his so-called future club."

Mbappe's participation in the Paris Olympics this summer seems increasingly improbable, given Madrid's firm stance. Moreover, FIFA does not classify the Olympics as an official tournament, thus Real Madrid is not compelled to release Mbappe for national team duty.