On June 9, the latest season of Mbappe's transfer soap opera began. According to French media, on that day, Paris received a letter from Mbappe stating that he would not renew his contract but stay with the team. According to an anonymous Paris executive, "It's not like receiving a letter, but like receiving an atomic bomb."

The reason why Paris shudders is simple: if Mbappe transfers away this summer, Paris is very likely to get a transfer fee of more than 200 million euros, and can also save a total of 162 million euros in salary and loyalty bonuses that need to be paid to Mbappe in the new season; on the contrary, if Mbappe leaves as a free agent next year, he will not get a penny; in addition, Real Madrid promised to give Mbappe a signing fee of up to 125 million euros in the contract for Mbappe's free transfer last year, but the condition is that Mbappe must be a free transfer.

In other words, from Mbappe's point of view, staying for another year naturally means making more money. But from Paris's point of view, if you want to stay, you can, but you must renew your contract, otherwise everything is off the table. After all, Paris just signed a super big contract with Mbappe last summer, which allowed Mbappe, who wanted to join Real Madrid, to continue to fight in Ligue 1.

In order to keep Mbappe in Paris, former French President Sarkozy and current President Macron personally persuaded Mbappe to stay until the Paris Olympics. Macron even said to Mbappe, "You are one of the most important people in this country. Your withdrawal will have a negative impact on French football. Rejecting Real Madrid will not only benefit Paris, but also the entire French football industry. A successful football industry will be vital to the French economy."

In the end, Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain signed a 2+1 contract worth about 400 million euros. According to the words of the Paris executive, the club provided Mbappe with a pharaoh-like salary condition. It can be foreseen that this move also planted a time bomb.

Almost everyone knows that the sky-high contract last year was not enough to stop Mbappe from seeking to join Real Madrid. In the view of The Times, when a country's president tells a talented football player that he is one of the most important people in the country, the football player's estimate of his own importance will definitely swell.

On June 12, the media learned that Mbappe had written a letter to the club, which made Paris President Nasser furious. The Qataris suspected that Mbappe's family deliberately leaked the information to the media.

Since then, the two sides have been in a war. Paris declared in a statement that "the club can only financially support Mbappe's high salary in the case of sale or renewal, as originally agreed by both parties."

Mbappe said in a statement sent to AFP, "I have never discussed any renewal issues with Paris Saint-Germain. On July 15, 2022, I informed the management that I would not renew my contract after the expiration of my contract in 2024. The letter I sent was just to confirm the decision I had already informed."

But Paris obviously doesn't see it that way. According to L'Equipe, Qatar understands that the 2+1 contract is just a formality, and activating the last year is just a confirmed procedure. Once activated, if Mbappe wants to leave in 2024, he can apply for a transfer. But Mbappe's understanding is that 2+1 means he can leave as a free agent in 2024, and he has no obligation to choose to activate the one-year extension of the contract.

In terms of the employment relationship in professional football alone, it is absurd to accuse Mbappe of greed. The boss invests in football for money, and the players play football to make money. Mbappe's voice to Paris according to his understanding of the contract and the provisions of the contract is understandable. On the other hand, Paris' statement is also untenable. Free transfers are originally part of the scope of professional football. The root of the problem between the two sides lies in the specific terms in the contract.

Mbappe's letter angered the Paris executives headed by Nasser and led him to break with the club. In early July, "France Football" published an exclusive interview with Mbappe. The French striker blasted the club, "I don't think Paris will help me win the Golden Ball because it is a divided team and a divided club, so it will attract a lot of criticism, but it won't bother me. I know what I am doing and how to do it."

Obviously, Mbappe's speech can easily put himself at the forefront of public opinion. According to the latest poll data from the French media, although 70% of the French still like him, it has dropped by 10% compared to 2019.

The famous transfer reporter Romano also revealed a piece of news that is not favorable to Mbappe, "Some negative remarks about the team mentioned by Mbappe in the interview have made many players of the team dissatisfied."

Former Paris director Leonardo also has a clear attitude. The Brazilian said, "I think it's time for Mbappe to leave. Before Mbappe came, Paris Saint-Germain already existed. If he left, Paris Saint-Germain would still exist. He has been in Paris for 6 years. During this period, Real Madrid won the Champions League twice, Liverpool, Bayern, Chelsea and Manchester City each won the Champions League once. None of them had Mbappe in their lineup, which means that it is entirely possible to win the Champions League without Mbappe. ”

The Italian Di Canio, whose career has always been controversial, has a more direct point of view. The former West Ham United striker said, "It is a shame that Mbappe still does this after earning 200 or 300 million euros. Although people like money and no one will hypocritically deny it, there is a kind of morality and respect that is priceless, and Mbappe has none of these. I believe in Paris's statement. Mbappe is taking advantage of this and has taken advantage of it many times. He put Paris in its current situation. He is spoiled and he is already famous all over the world. Mbappe was too much last year, and now he is starting again. "

This is a long soap opera. As early as 2021, Real Madrid offered Mbappe to Paris. Three years have passed in a flash, and the drama is still going on. In this long tug-of-war, the headline of The Times a month ago may be able to sum it up: "No player is bigger than the club, except Mbappe and Paris."

According to the latest news, although Paris is willing to offer a 3-year 500 million euro contract, Mbappe is still determined not to accept the contract extension and is unwilling to leave the team this summer.

Mbappe is certainly not the kind of player that everyone loves, but it is certain that all kinds of sports media must love him to death. The Guardian wrote last month, "Sports editors have been in a state of anxiety these days, with no real football content to report, but a lot of sports pages to fill. Thanks to Mbappe, he once again provided us with material. He proved to us that he is not only as fast as lightning, but also has amazing endurance, otherwise this transfer would not have lasted so long."

In the eyes of many people, Mbappe's endless transfer soap opera may be empty and boring, or even meaningless, but from a football perspective, when the relationship with Paris has reached an irreversible point, future transfers will truly test the Frenchman's football talent. Ligue 1 is definitely not his stage, and whether he can get the coveted Golden Ball Award can only be seen after this soap opera comes to an end.