TOKYO: Paris Saint-Germain have left Kylian Mbappe out of their squad for a pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea, casting further doubt on the forward’s future at the French champions.
PSG gave no reason for the omission of France’s captain but 24-year-old Mbappe has said for weeks that he is refusing to sign a new contract.
His omission from the tour will fuel fresh speculation that he could leave to join Real Madrid before next season.
As his teammates flew to Asia, Mbappe trained with the reserve team on Saturday and afterwards greeted young fans outside the club’s training complex outside Paris, an AFP reporter saw.
A smiling Mbappe posed for selfies and signed photographs and jerseys as one young supporter shouted “Stay with us Kylian.”
The forward declared in May that he did not want to extend his PSG contract, which expires next year, but indicated he wanted to remain at the club for a final season.
“I still have a year left on my contract and I am going to honor my contract,” he said.
That would allow him to become a free agent next summer and leave PSG for nothing, a prospect that club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said was “impossible.”
“We can’t let the best player in the world today leave for free,” Khelaifi said.
Khelaifi even gave Mbappe an ultimatum of a “maximum two weeks” to make his decision — sign a new contract or leave this summer. That date corresponds roughly with the departure of the team for Asia on Saturday.
When training resumed on July 15, Khelaifi again asked the Mbappe camp to clarify the situation. But he has not received a response, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told AFP.
Mbappe, the club’s all-time top scorer with 212 goals in 260 appearances, remains the second most expensive player in history.
He was still a teenager when he joined PSG on a season-long loan from Monaco in August 2017.
The move turned into a permanent transfer the following year in a 180-million-euro ($200 million) deal.
The 29-player PSG squad in Asia will include Mbappe’s younger brother, 16-year-old Ethan Mbappe, as well as Neymar, the Brazilian whose transfer fee of 222 million euros in 2017 is the world record.
The third member of PSG’s superstar trio, Lionel Messi, left at the end of last season to join Inter Miami.
The trio could not prevent PSG being knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich at the last 16 stage.
Relations between Mbappe and PSG have become increasingly strained.
The club wrote to him on July 3 saying it felt betrayed, adding it had “helped you” and “supported your family since you were a teenager.”
The club said Mbappe was not choosing the “win-win” solution — extend and not leave for free, or accept a transfer.
The club is convinced that Mbappe has already agreed to join Real Madrid for free in June 2024, with the promise of a huge signing bonus, since the Spanish giants would have saved on the transfer.
Mbappe was expected to leave a year ago for Real Madrid when his previous contract came to an end, only to agree a new deal to remain in Paris.
Having missed out on his signature a year ago, Real would lead the race for his signature.
They are in the market for a new forward after reigning Ballon d’Or Karim Benzema opted to move to Saudi Arabia.
Mbappe helped France to World Cup glory in 2018 and has established himself as arguably the leading attacker on the global stage.
He scored a hat-trick in France’s World Cup final defeat last December to Messi’s Argentina before helping PSG win a record 11th French title.
He was the top scorer in Ligue 1 last season with 29 goals and netted 41 in 43 games for his club in all competitions.
PSG have a new coach, the Spaniard Luis Enrique.
They open their Asian tour against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi club Al-Nassr in Osaka on Tuesday.
PSG then play Cerezo Osaka, also in Osaka, and Inter Milan in Tokyo before finishing off the tour in Busan, South Korea, against Jeonbuk Motors on August 3.
Mbappe’s omission from PSG tour fuels Madrid move speculation
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Mbappe’s omission from PSG tour fuels Madrid move speculation
- Relations between Mbappe and PSG have become increasingly strained
Tammy Abraham says it would mean everything to win first trophy for AC Milan in Saudi Arabia
- AC Milan play city rivals Inter in Riyadh on Monday night in Italian Super Cup final
- Abraham says victory would be ‘amazing’
RIYADH: Tammy Abraham said it “would mean everything” to win his first trophy for AC Milan.
The former Chelsea striker, on loan at the San Siro from Roma, played a key role in AC Milan qualifying for the Italian Super Cup final against city rivals Inter in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday night.
England striker Abraham came off the bench for the final half-hour against Juventus in Thursday’s semifinal with AC Milan 1-0 down. But his forward play helped the Rossoneri overturn the deficit to win 2-1, with the equalizer netted by fellow former Chelsea player Christian Pulisic.
Having won trophies at both Stamford Bridge and Roma — who loaned him out to AC Milan at the start of the season — the 27-year-old, 11-times capped England striker dearly wants to add to his medal collection in Riyadh.
“It would mean everything to me to win my first trophy in a Milan shirt. I’m a player who always wants to win. I’ve won a few trophies in the past, and I want to keep building the cabinet. It would be amazing to lift my first trophy for Milan,” Abraham said.
“I’m a player that always wants to win. I want to help my team as much as possible. Against Juventus in the second half, I had to bring my energy and bring some belief to my team. I’m proud of my team but the job is not finished, and we have a really big job in the final.
“We played Inter earlier in the season and we won. We are ready and we have to be ready. They had a day extra to recover and prepare, but that’s no excuse for us. We want to go back home with the trophy.”
Inter beat Atalanta 2-0 on Thursday with a double from Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries to qualify for the final. All matches are taking place at Al-Awwal Park — the home of Cristiano Ronaldo and his Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr. Inter are going for three Super Cups in a row in Riyadh and a record four wins in succession.
The Italian Super Cup is being staged in Saudi Arabia — where some 80 percent of the population either play, attend, or follow football — for the fifth time.
Dembélé scores last-gasp winner as PSG wins Champions Trophy
- The match was played at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar, with PSG owned by Qatar-based QSI since 2011
PARIS: Ousmane Dembélé scored a stoppage-time winner as Paris Saint-Germain beat Monaco 1-0 to win the Champions Trophy on Sunday.
The France winger was unmarked at the back post to meet a low cross from the left by Fabian Ruiz in the second minute of added time.
PSG won the trophy, also known as the super cup, for the third straight time and a record-extending 13th overall. PSG won the league and cup double last season, with Monaco finishing second in the league.
The match was played at Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar, with PSG owned by Qatar-based QSI since 2011.
Désiré Doué hit the crossbar early on for PSG and Monaco goalkeeper Philipp Köhn made several saves.
Monaco improved after the break and hit the post through Eliesse Ben Seghir and Brazilian defender Vanderson.
Although Köhn made a fine save to deny Achraf Hakimi in the 74th minute, he failed to properly read Ruiz’s cross and Monaco missed out on winning the trophy for the first time since 2000.
Later Sunday, Marseille looked to strengthen its grip on second place in Ligue 1 with a home win against lowly Le Havre.
French league
Marseille looks to strengthen its grip on second place in Ligue 1 with a home win against lowly Le Havre later Sunday.
Toulouse climbed up to eighth place with a 1-0 win at seventh-place Lens, which leads Toulouse on goal difference.
Striker Zakaria Aboukhlal scored a penalty in the 73rd.
The goal came shortly after Lens midfielder David Pereira da Costa was shown a second yellow card following a video review and was sent off.
Angers beat Brest 2-0, and Strasbourg rallied to win 3-1 at home to Auxerre and move into 10th spot.
Esteban Lepaul scored early on for Angers and fellow striker Ibrahima Niane, who replaced Lepaul in the 75th, wrapped up the win in stoppage time.
Strasbourg’s goals came from captain Habib Diarra, Félix Lemarechal and forward Emanuel Emegha, after Hamed Traore gave Burgundy side Auxerre an early lead in Alsace.
Manchester United hold Liverpool in Premier League thriller to end losing streak
- United broke their six-year goal drought at Anfield to open the scoring in spectacular fashion through Lisandro Martinez
- Liverpool boss Slot warned that United were “much better” than their shocking league position suggested
LIVERPOOL: Manchester United rallied to snap a four-game losing streak and halt Liverpool’s romp toward the Premier League title in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.
Liverpool move six points clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand to come, over second-placed Arsenal.
But this was an opportunity lost for Arne Slot’s men after they came from behind to lead 2-1 through Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah’s penalty.
United broke their six-year goal drought at Anfield to open the scoring in spectacular fashion through Lisandro Martinez and got the point a much-improved performance deserved when Amad Diallo levelled on 80 minutes.
A point edges the Red Devils up to 13th in the table and seven clear of the relegation zone.
Liverpool boss Slot warned that United were “much better” than their shocking league position suggested ahead of the game and so it proved.
United had been carved open at will by Newcastle in a dismal 2-0 defeat on Monday that left manager Ruben Amorim declaring they were in a relegation battle.
Amorim’s hand was strengthened by the return of captain Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte from suspension, while Kobbie Mainoo also returned to the starting line-up.
The Portuguese’s plan to frustrate Liverpool worked but the home side did have the chances early on to make the breakthrough.
Gakpo prodded past the far post from Ryan Gravenberch’s through ball.
Moments later Salah picked out Alexis Mac Allister with a sumptuous pass that the Argentine caught flush and forced Andre Onana into a fine save with his feet.
United took time to begin to impose themselves as an attacking threat but should have been in front before the break.
Diallo miscued his header with the goal gaping from Diogo Dalot’s cross.
Rasmus Hojlund then had the best chance of the first half when he raced in behind the Liverpool defense but could not beat Alisson Becker.
However, confidence was suddenly coursing back into United players who have looked bereft in recent weeks.
The visitors’ breakthrough came from an unlikely source as Martinez showed his strikers how to finish with a blistering hit in off the underside of the bar for just his second goal for the club.
The Anfield crowd were beginning to get restless as the league leaders were briefly at sixes and sevens.
However, Liverpool’s position at the top of the table owes much to the depth of firepower they possess.
Even on a quiet day for Salah, they had an in-form forward to come up with the moment of magic required to turn the game.
Gakpo turned inside his Dutch international colleague Matthijs de Ligt and blasted high past Onana for his 10th goal in 15 games on the hour mark.
Despite the equalizer Slot immediately made two offensive changes, as Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez were introduced, and got his reward.
MacAllister’s header flicked off De Ligt’s outstretched arm inside the penalty area and a VAR review resulted in the awarding of a spot-kick.
Salah smashed low and hard beyond Onana for his 18th Premier League goal in 19 games.
However, United’s spirited display got the point it merited to halt an alarming losing streak for Amorim so early in his reign.
Alejandro Garnacho’s attitude has been questioned by his new boss but the Argentine came off the bench to make the equalizer as his low cross was turned in by Diallo.
And it should have been even better for United when Harry Maguire spooned Joshua Zirkzee’s pass over the bar with the goal gaping deep into stoppage time.
Inter Milan eye historic Italian Super Cup triumph in Riyadh showdown with rivals AC Milan
- Both sides aiming to secure early-season silverware
RIYADH: Inter Milan and AC Milan meet on Monday in the Italian Super Cup final at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, with both sides aiming to secure early-season silverware in what promises to be a competitive Milan derby.
Inter head into the match looking to extend their recent dominance in the competition, having won the past three Super Cups, including two in Riyadh.
Victory would see them claim a record fourth consecutive title. AC Milan, however, are seeking to end their own trophy drought and derail Inter’s impressive run.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Sunday, Inter captain Lautaro Martinez highlighted the significance of playing in Saudi Arabia, where he scored in both of his team’s previous Super Cup finals in Riyadh.
He said: “For us, playing here has been important in the past finals because we won the trophy and because I scored.
“This is a derby and a final, and we all know how important it is. The goal is to win and bring the trophy home.”
Inter secured their place in the final with a 2-0 victory over Atalanta on Thursday, thanks to two goals from Denzel Dumfries.
Manager Simone Inzaghi, who has overseen all of Inter’s recent Super Cup wins, acknowledged the challenge of competing in a derby final.
He said: “It would be very special to win the Super Cup for the fourth time with Inter.
“We face a strong opponent with the same hunger to win. We need to stay focused and deliver a strong performance.”
AC Milan earned their spot in the final by defeating Juventus 2-1 in their semifinal. New manager Sergio Conceicao, who took charge only last week, faces a significant test in his second match with the club.
He said: “The match will be difficult, but we have to focus on ourselves.
“My goal is to prepare the team as best as possible and ensure we approach the game with ambition and hunger to win.”
Conceicao’s plans could hinge on the fitness of key forward Rafael Leao, who is being assessed after missing the semifinal.
Midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who joined the club in the summer, is eager to seize the opportunity to win his first trophy.
He said: “It’s a great chance for us as a group to win something. We have to play with confidence and take this opportunity.”
Monday’s match marks the fifth time the Italian Super Cup has been staged in Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh hosting for the fourth time.
Inter’s previous successes in Riyadh have given them an edge in the tournament, but AC will be determined to change the narrative and claim their first Super Cup since 2016.
5 things we learned from 26th Gulf Cup in Kuwait
- Bahrain are an emerging force, but Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar will hope to move on from disappointing campaigns when World Cup qualification returns
LONDON: The 26th Arabian Gulf Cup ended on Saturday with Bahrain coming from behind to defeat Oman 2-1 in the final in Kuwait City. Here are five takeaways from the latest edition of the biennial tournament.
More questions than answers for Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s semi-final exit after a 2-1 loss to Oman ended a disappointing 10 days or so. The positives were that the team managed to score in all four games, which will be welcome after four World Cup qualifiers without a goal in October and November.
But Herve Renard’s men were deservedly beaten by Bahrain, needed a last-minute goal to defeat Yemen in a game they could easily have lost and, a good spell against Iraq apart, struggled to find rhythm and fluency. At least they made it to the semi-finals but then losing to Oman, who played with 10 men for two-thirds of the game, was a poor way to end the competition.
The coach may now know more about what his team needs but does not look any closer to finding the solutions, especially when star Salem Al-Dawsari does not provide them. Renard, less than three months back in the job, starts 2025 under more pressure with a team that is low on confidence and looking leaky at the back.
Bahrain, an emerging force
The Reds had a good 2024 and 2025 has started perfectly. As Croatian coach Dragan Talajic comes up to his first anniversary in Manama, he has helped to fashion a tough-to-beat Bahrain that have real team spirit, work hard and are growing in confidence going forward. They deserved to win their group and then dug deep in the knockout stage. Mohamed Marhoon sums it all up. The midfielder scored the only goal against Kuwait in the last-four clash and then in the final against Oman, his energy, skill and willingness to run at defenders created both goals and delivered the trophy.
There is a resilience about this Bahrain team and the champions can look forward to 2025 with confidence and even dreams of a first World Cup appearance.
No new-coach bounce for Qatar, UAE inconsistent
Go back a year and Qatar were just about to start a successful, and slightly surprising, defence of the Asian Cup. As they lifted the trophy and celebrated, it was assumed that the Maroons were going to qualify for the World Cup for the first time. But a poor start to the third round cost “Tintin” Marquez his job in December and he was replaced by fellow Spaniard Luis Garcia. There was no new-coach bounce however as Qatar ended up bottom of Group A without a win. Garcia and his men will look back at missed chances proving costly.
Although the UAE had exactly the same record, goals scored and conceded, coach Paulo Bento will be a little happier. There were some new faces who made the trip to Kuwait but the Portuguese boss needs to get to grips with the team’s inconsistency.
Iraq the biggest losers
The holders made the short trip to Kuwait in decent form. They were the only one of the seven teams involved in World Cup qualification to be sitting in the automatic spots in their group. A win at the Gulf Cup would really have put a spring in their step. Yet, it all went wrong and coach Jesus Casas, linked with the vacant South Korea job in the summer, is under pressure.
The Spanish boss talked of having the chance to look at some young players but there were few positives. Star striker Aymen Hussein scored to give a hard-fought win over Yemen in the opening game. It was not great but a potential platform to challenge for the trophy. It didn’t happen. There was a 2-0 loss to Bahrain when the Lions of Mesopotamia were outfought and outthought by the eventual winners. It was followed by a 3-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia. The usually strong backline looked flimsy, which is a problem when there is a lack of creativity going forward.
Bigger challenges await
Even when the celebrations die down in Manama, fans, players and media in Bahrain would swap it all for a place at the 2026 World Cup. Seven of the eight teams had an eye or more on the resumption of qualification in March and with four of the 10 games remaining in the third round, this really is a crucial time.
For the likes of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Iraq, their disappointing results will quickly be forgotten if they hit the ground running in the coming months and get the wins to take them to North America. If so, they will point out that the Gulf Cup counted as vital preparation that was more important than results. Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait will be looking to build on their positive performances and results to make strides towards North America.
It remains to be seen what the legacy of this tournament turns out to be.
