After the conflicting statement from Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique on Sunday, February 25, hinting that the team’s star player, Kylian Mbappe, might leave the club soon, things seem to be taking a 180-degree turn just 24 hours later.
The French publication “Le Parisien” reports that on Tuesday (27 February), the French top scorer will personally meet with the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron. Mbappe will be a guest at the official dinner at the Élysée Palace, the residence of the French head of state.
The meeting will also include the President of Paris Saint-Germain, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and the event will be organized in honor of the visit of Qatari Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The visit of the host of the 2022 World Cup in France is related to discussions around the Middle East conflict between Hamas and Israel, which reshaped a significant part of the schedule during the autumn part of the current sports season 2023/2024.
It is assumed that football figures are invited to the official visit at the Élysée Palace due to the ongoing discussions, but there may also be a hidden agenda in which Macron, after completing his ceremonial duties, will try to persuade Mbappe to stay by the Eiffel Tower. This scenario is entirely possible, as Mbappe confirmed some time ago that in 2022, it was Macron who persuaded him to remain with his team when there were heightened efforts from the Spanish capital to attract him.
The official contract of the Frenchman, who has been with Paris Saint-Germain since 2017, expires at the end of this season, and it is speculated that the player has already reached a secret agreement with the Spanish giant Real Madrid, where he could move as a free agent in the summer.