Outcast Kylian Mbappe 'reinstated' by PSG as Real Madrid transfer rumours linger

PSG have begun the process of reintegrating Kylian Mbappe into the first-team squad, having effectively exiled the superstar amid doubts over his future.

The Ligue 1 champions were convinced that Mbappe would join Real Madrid on a free transfer next summer and had been scrambling to sell the 24-year-old.

Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal tabled a world-record bid of €300m, while there were also murmurs of loan interest from Liverpool.

But France's 2018 World Cup-winning frontman now looks set to stay at PSG for at least another season – 12 months after an extraordinary intervention from French president Emmanuel Macron stopped him from moving to Real.

Mbappe had been made to train with PSG's so-called 'undesirables' – a group of players not considered part of the first-team plans – and was left out of Saturday's Ligue 1 opener, a 0-0 draw at home to Lorient.

There has, though, been positive progress between the two parties, culminating in the following statement from PSG on Sunday morning:

"Following very constructive and positive discussions between Paris St-Germain and Kylian Mbappe before the PSG – Lorient game, the player has been reinstated into the first-team training squad this morning."

It appears that Mbappe has done performed something of a U-turn, with the former Monaco forward said likely to agree to extend his contract beyond next summer after all.

He could well still depart then – in fact, it seems likely given his well-known dream of playing for Real Madrid – but PSG would be able to generate a transfer fee for the player they bought for €180m.

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