On Wednesday, Luis Enrique officially assumed the role of head coach for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), signing a two-year contract. However, questions about Mbappe’s future overshadowed his introduction.
With Christophe Galtier’s confirmed departure earlier in the day, the 53-year-old former Barcelona coach will take over from the departed Christophe Galtier.
The unveiling of Luis Enrique took place during a press conference held at PSG’s new training facility in Poissy, situated northwest of the French capital. The occasion signified the formal presentation of the new coach to the public in the presence of Nasser al-Khelaifi, the president of the club.
“I’m delighted to be joining Paris in order to enjoy a new experience,” Luis Enrique said in a club statement.
“It’s so exciting to meet new people, to live in this city, to learn a new language, and, above all, to manage PSG.”
Yet when asked whether he had been given any guarantees that superstar forward Mbappe would remain at the club for the coming campaign, he was evasive.
The Spaniard later insisted he was “counting on all the players who are under contract”.
However, Khelaifi stated that Mbappe, 24, “must sign a new contract” if he wants to remain at PSG in the coming season.
“The position is very clear. If Kylian wants to stay, he must sign a new contract. We can’t let the best player in the world today leave for free. It’s impossible,” Khelaifi said.
“He said he would not leave for free. If somebody has changed his mind, that is not my fault.”
Last month, Mbappe made it clear that he has no intentions of extending his contract, which is set to expire next year.
Consequently, the club is now compelled to sell the player during the current transfer window; otherwise, they risk losing him for nothing once his contract expires.
Real Madrid had hoped to secure the services of Mbappe a year ago, but the French striker opted to sign a new contract with Paris instead. If Mbappe does decide to switch clubs, it is widely believed that the Spanish giants are the frontrunners to acquire his signature.
As the eighth coach since the transformative Qatari takeover in 2011, the new coach’s primary objective, like his predecessors, will be to guide PSG to elusive success in the UEFA Champions League.
Despite coming closest in 2020, when they reached the final but were defeated by Bayern Munich, PSG has yet to lift the trophy in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.
They have gone out in the last 16 in five of the last seven seasons, losing to Bayern at that stage in the most recent campaign. That defeat proved costly for Galtier.
