Kylian Mbappe will leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
Mbappe, out of contract in the summer, has communicated his decision to the French champions.
The terms of the forward’s exit are yet to be finalised as the two parties negotiate whether Mbappe will leave for a fee or sacrifice his own earnings to protect PSG financially.
It is understood PSG and Mbappe will make an announcement once this is agreed in the coming months.
Real Madrid hold a long-term interest in the 25-year-old forward, who would have to take a pay cut to join the Spanish side, even though they are prepared to make him their highest-paid player.
Mbappe’s departure will be the next step in PSG’s plan to move on from the individualistic Galacticos era, instead favouring a more youthful squad focused on the collective.
The departure of Mbappe, whose wages cost PSG €200m (£171m) per year, will free up funds for the club to replace their star player and it is understood there are already plans to make multiple signings this summer.
Warren Zaire-Emery, 17, and Bradley Barcola, 21, have kick-started PSG’s new project, with the French side boasting the youngest squad in the Champions League this season. Xavi Simons, 20, on loan at RB Leipzig, is another thought to be key to PSG’s future.
PSG are expected to offer renewals to Simons and Zaire-Emery, while Barcola signed from Lyon on a five-year deal in the summer.
‘Real Madrid prepared to make Mbappe their highest-paid player’
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
“As far as PSG are concerned, they knew this was coming. Mbappe had an option to extend his contract by another season. He told them last season he wasn’t going to do that.
“He was frozen out of the first-team squad, he was made to train with the players who had no future at the club, but then he was allowed to play for PSG again.
“There’s always been an expectation at PSG that he was going to leave. He costs PSG an absolute fortune, in the region of £180m a year when you factor in his wages and bonuses.
“There’s a sense of relief that this whole circus is going to be over and their future is going to move in a different direction. All that money they are saving from not spending on Mbappe they can invest in other players.
“Everybody knows Real Madrid want to sign him. He’s been in talks with Real for a long time because since January he’s been able to talk to other clubs as he’s out of contract this summer.
“Our information is, Real are prepared to make him the highest-paid player in history but there is no way a club even as big as Real can afford to pay him the kind of money he was earning at PSG.
“The talks have dragged on for so long because they have had to come to an agreement as he’s going to take a wage cut. The first step in the process is he has told PSG he is leaving and they have acknowledged that.”
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