Mbappe deal the first brick in PSG rebuild

Kylian Mbappe's decision to reject Real Madrid and commit to Paris Saint-Germain for three more seasons marks the start of a large rebuilding project at the French champion.

Since cash-rich Qatari investors took over in 2011, PSG has been a dominant force in France but has consistently failed to replicate that success on the European stage despite spending massive amounts on star players.

Club officials hope Mbappe's decision to snub the Spanish giant will finally lead to the conquest of club soccer's biggest trophy, the Champions League.

In addition to the colossal sums of money reportedly promised to the 23-year-old forward－financial terms of Mbappe's new deal have not been disclosed－the France star has received guarantees that things will change in a big way, with a new coach and a new sporting director likely to be appointed.

"The project has changed," Mbappe told a news conference on Monday. "The club wants to change a lot of things on the sports side, so it gives me this desire to continue. My story here is not over."

New players will also join this summer to boost a project that will be centered around the World Cup-winning forward. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said last week that Mbappe will become "the cornerstone of the club's project for the years to come, both on and off the pitch," but the striker is adamant he has not asked to be the main man.

"I am a soccer player, well anchored in a collective," Mbappe said. "Even if, of course, players have different status in a team. I remain a soccer player, and I will not go beyond this role."

Sitting next to his star player, Al-Khelaifi did not give many details about PSG's reorganization but acknowledged he promised to sign new players if Mbappe stayed.

"Because he really deserves it," Al-Khelaifi said, adding that money was not crucial in convincing Mbappe to reject Madrid's offer and extend his glitzy partnership with Neymar and Lionel Messi at Parc des Princes.

"The most important thing for Kylian was the sporting project," he said, insisting that clubs in Spain were in a position to offer more money than PSG.

In an interview with media relayed by Le Parisien newspaper, Mbappe said he received some guidance from French President Emmanuel Macron.

"Let's just say it was good advice," Mbappe said. "He wanted me to stay, that's part of the negotiations. He is one of the different people I talked to."

The first collateral victim of Mbappe's prolonged stay in the French capital has been sports director Leonardo. The former Brazil international, who returned to the club three years ago, was fired over the weekend following intense discussions.

According to L'Equipe newspaper, his departure was crucial in the negotiations with Mbappe, who pushed for an overhaul of the hierarchy following PSG's Champions League last-16 exit at the hands of Madrid in March.

Luis Campos has been tipped as a replacement for Leonardo. The Portuguese is a renowned talent scout with connections in Europe and South America is believed to enjoy an excellent relationship with Mbappe and his family. Campos, who previously worked at Lille and Monaco, played an influential role when Mbappe signed his first professional deal with the Principality side in 2016.

One thing that won't immediately change at PSG, though, is its habit of frequently changing coaches. Mauricio Pochettino, who sealed PSG's record-tying 10th league title but could not avoid another Champions League failure, is unsure about his future at the helm of the Parisian team amid French media reports that he will be replaced soon. Speculation over the potential appointment of Zinedine Zidane has been growing in recent days.

To strengthen their squad, PSG officials have also discussed with Mbappe the prospect of recruiting a versatile fullback and new midfielders. L'Equipe reported on Monday that PSG has prioritized signing Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni, with Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele also targeted.

Mbappe joined PSG from Monaco in 2017 when he was still a teenager. He has 171 goals in just 217 appearances for PSG and won three consecutive player of the season awards, and topped the French scoring charts in each of the last four seasons.

Mbappe has often said that playing for Madrid was his childhood dream, and the Frenchman did not rule out making the move one day.

"I am really focused on this new contract. What will happen in the future, I don't know," he said.

Agencies via Xinhua