Kylian Mbappe looks set to stay at Paris Saint-Germain, after a year long battle to keep him at the club, and three promises over this summer reportedly helped persuade him.
For most of the past year everyone, from fans to journalists and pundits, has expected Mbappe would be leaving PSG this summer, when his contract expires, and move to Real Madrid.
Advert
Even earlier this week is was felt that he was about to announce the move this weekend, but in recent days the thinking started changing amongst those in the know.
On Saturday, reports started to pour out that the Frenchman was now going to sign a new deal and remain at the Parc des Princes for the foreseeable future. Even transfer guru/tap in merchant Fabrizio Romano gave it his famous 'here we go.'
Whilst the two clubs are said to have offered the 23-year-old similar money, PSG's offer to put Mbappe at the centre of their sporting project looks to have helped sway it.
According to Spanish journalist Sergio Santos three other reported promises have also helped sway the forward's decision, with Mbappe promised Zinedine Zidane will be the club's manager, Ousmane Dembele will be signed and Neymar will be sold.
Advert
Zidane being appointed as manager in the French capital has felt as inevitable as Mbappe going to the Bernabeu, whenever it might have been.
Earlier this season he was linked with the job, when it looked like Manchester United might attempt to get Mauricio Pochettino in the wake of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking.
The former Real Madrid manager has been out of work since leaving the Bernabeu for the second time, at the end of last year, and has also been linked with the French national team after the World Cup.
Advert
His record of winning three Champions League titles, in-a-row, for Real would certainly entice PSG, who are desperate to make their mark in Europe.
Pochettino's time at the club already looks set to come to an end, despite only being at the club, with the Ligue 1 title not likely be enough to keep his job.
Neymar's potential departure has been rumoured before, with the club reportedly ready to let him go for £76 million in the summer.
Advert
The Brazilian became the world's most expensive player of all time when he moved from Barcelona in 2017, but his move has hardly been the huge success either party would have hoped for.
With Lionel Messi and Mbappe in the side it's been difficult to balance out the attack and he would seem the most likely of the trio to depart, although there is a question on who could afford his wages.
Replacing the former Barca man with a current star from the Nou Camp in Ousmane Dembele would also make sense, especially with Dembele's contract also set to expire.
Advert
The Frenchman would fit into the project in Paris and his form has picked up brilliantly in the second half of the season for Xavi's team.
He had previously been linked with a move to the Premier League but, now he's been promised to his fellow countryman, a move back to his home country could be in order.
The era of Kylian Mbappe FC has begun...
Topics: Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Ousmane Dembele, Zinedine Zidane, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, La Liga, Ligue 1, Transfers