Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain remain locked in their battle to get their way regarding his future.
Mbappe will continue to train with a different group to the main side at PSG, even after their return from their preseason tour to Japan. That is part of the strategy to force him into a move this summer, and their goal of bringing in a transfer fee for Mbappe if he will not renew his contract.
For his part, he has maintained his desire to complete the final year of his deal at PSG, while Real Madrid appear to be biding their time in the background.
Part of the reason for this, according to Cadena SER, is that Mbappe puts at risk some of his remaining loyalty bonuses if he declares his desire to leave publicly. They claim it would cost him €100m to do so.
PSG have threatened to ensure that Mbappe does not play this season, but at the very least, they must bring him back into full training with the side after the transfer market. If they do not do so by the third of September, then Mbappe would be able to take PSG to court for unfair treatment.
At that point, PSG are no longer able to order him to train separately, nor order Luis Enrique to not play Mbappe. They would be relying on the Asturian not selecting him in order to continue their threat.
It seems hard to imagine a world where Mbappe does spend a year in the stands. It is an outcome that would not suit anyone on the pitch, and would not suit PSG financially either, to be paying Mbappe’s wages without any of the impact. That said, all sides are so stubbornly dug into their positions, nothing can be ruled out.