PSG hopeful of Kylian Mbappe signing new contract after talks with his mother

Paris Saint-Germain are increasingly hopeful of persuading Kylian Mbappe to sign a new contract following talks with his mother in Doha last week.

Despite a widespread assumption that, with his current deal expiring at the end of this season, Mbappe will sign for Real Madrid PSG have not given up hope of persuading him to stay.

Key to the talks was Fayza Lamari, Mbappe’s mother, who also represents him, travelling to Qatar. She met with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and the meeting is understood to have gone well.

PSG have never relented in their desire to persuade Mbappe to stay and it is understood they are proposing a two-year deal, possibly with a break clause at the end of next season, in order to keep the France international.

Key to PSG’s Qatari ownership is having Mbappe still at the club when the World Cup takes place in the Gulf state at the end of this year.

It is understood that Real are prepared to make Mbappe the highest-paid player in their history and PSG will, obviously, have to at least match that offer to keep him.

The 23-year-old has made no secret of the fact that one day he wants to play for Real but PSG are encouraged by his recent public statements in which he has said he has not yet decided his future. Mbappe spoke about there being “new elements” to his future and although that has been interpreted as another club now being in the frame it is not believed to be the case. Instead it relates to his talks with PSG.

"If I had made my decision, I would have said so," Mbappe said earlier this month. "I don't have to answer to anyone. If I had made the decision, I would have taken responsibility. The good and the bad things, I have always assumed them by the way.”

All parties dispute claims that he has already decided to join Real who had bids of €160 million and €180 million turned down last summer by PSG even though Mbappe was in the last year of his contract and it meant they risked losing him for free.

PSG sealed their 10th French title – a record – at the weekend but that is not expected to be enough to save coach Mauricio Pochettino who has been under pressure all season. Ideally PSG would like to replace Pochettino, who has one year left on his deal and is due compensation of up to €20 million if he is sacked, with Zinedine Zidane. However the former Real coach is also interested in taking over as France coach after the World Cup when Didier Deschamps is due to step down. It remains to be seen whether Zidane can be persuaded.

PSG sources have strongly dismissed reports in France that the club is interested in hiring Tottenham Hotspur head coach Antonio Conte should – as expected – Pochettino leave.

PSG are planning a re-build of their squad this summer with sporting director Leonardo, who has been blamed for some poor signings, also likely to leave. They want a clear-out of their under-performing players although their biggest priority remains retaining Mbappe who is also hugely popular amongst the PSG fans.

If Mbappe does decide to stay it will come as a huge blow to Real and their president Florentino Perez especially if, as expected, Erling Haaland, their other main target, joins Manchester City.