The crisis between Kylian Mbappé and his club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has cast a shadow over French football, just ahead of the start of the new season in the domestic league this weekend.
The saga has dominated headlines throughout the summer, as the World Cup-winning striker refused to extend his contract with PSG, which expires in June 2024. This would make him a free agent and allow him to move to any club.
However, PSG is unwilling to let him go without compensation. They have confronted the prolific forward, who has won the French Player of the Year award four times in a row and has been the top scorer in Ligue 1 for five consecutive seasons, with a choice between renewing his contract or leaving. It's worth noting that Mbappé's preferred destination remains Real Madrid.
Under pressure, PSG decided not to include Mbappé in their Asian tour, and just days ago, they prevented him from training with the first team in preparation for the upcoming season. The club wants to sell him now to secure a substantial fee, after acquiring him from Monaco for €180 million in 2017.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the owner of PSG and the Qatari-based club, stated last month, "We can't allow the best player in the world to leave for free. It's impossible."
This situation is not ideal for the new PSG coach, Luis Enrique, who took over from Christophe Galtier.
Regardless of the outcome with Mbappé, PSG is in a different position after winning the title last season with difficulty and struggling to establish themselves internationally.
The departure of Argentine star Lionel Messi was followed by the exit of veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos.
Even with Mbappé potentially staying, the team needed to bolster their attacking options. They signed young Portuguese striker Gonçalo Ramos from Benfica on a one-year loan with an option to buy.
PSG has strengthened its squad across all positions, signing Slovakian defenders Milan Škriniar and Luka Hernández, Portuguese midfielder Manuel and Italian midfielder Sher N'Doye, and Spanish forward Marco Asensio and South Korean Kang-in Lee.
Hernández mentioned in an interview with the sports daily "L'Équipe," "I could have stayed at Bayern Munich, but the interest PSG showed in me, their ambition, and the project they're trying to build for the future convinced me to come."
PSG enters the league as a strong contender to win the title for the tenth time in 12 years, but their local rivals might sense an opportunity if Mbappé departs.
- Reducing the Number of Teams -
A significant change for the new season is the reduction of teams from 20 to 18, after two decades of having 20 teams in Ligue 1. This change aims to help French clubs become more competitive in Europe by reducing the number of league matches.
Nevertheless, even with Messi's departure and potentially Mbappé's as well, Ligue 1 hopes that the lure of TV rights deals will generate more revenue than before, particularly for international rights.
League executives hope their competitions can rival those in England, Spain, Germany, and Italy in terms of international reach. However, the increasing trend of multi-club ownership poses a threat of turning many French clubs into feeder teams.
Strasbourg was purchased by the "Bloc," a consortium led by the United States, which also owns English club Chelsea.
Strasbourg's president, Marc Keller, commented on this matter, "Although there is no urgent financial need to do so, we felt we had achieved as much as possible with our current model."
Keller denied that Strasbourg, the 1979 French champions, would become a secondary team and recruited 1998 World Cup-winning French midfielder Patrick Vieira to manage them.
In contrast, Lorient is 40% owned by Bill Foley, the American owner of English club AFC Bournemouth.
Lorient captured headlines by signing Benjamin Mendy after his acquittal from sexual assault charges in England.
- Marseille's Ambitions -
Marseille is surrounded by mystery in its first full season under American businessman John Textor, who also owns Brazilian club Botafogo and holds a significant stake in Crystal Palace.
However, his failure to convince the French football financial watchdog of his spending plans led to a salary cap imposed on the club. This limitation hindered his efforts to significantly bolster the team, which finished seventh last season, preventing their participation in continental competitions.
Lille, the runner-up from last season, lost their Ivorian captain Siko Fofana to join forces with Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo at Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. They also lost their Belgian top scorer, Loïc Négo, to German club RB Leipzig, making them miss two influential players, especially as they enter the UEFA Champions League next season.
Marseille, currently managed by Marcelino, is arguably in the best position to challenge PSG after their ambitious signings.
Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang might prove pivotal if he regains the form that made him one of the deadliest scorers at Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal.
Both Rennes and Lille aim to compete for top positions again, while Nice, owned by Ineos, and Monaco hope their new managers can improve their fortunes.
AFP