Mbappe reinstated by PSG but Neymar ‘probably leaving’

French superstar Kylian Mbappe was reinstated in Paris Saint-Germain’s first team on Sunday just as Neymar was said to be negotiating a move to join the cash-rich Saudi league.
It has been a rocky build-up to the new Ligue 1 season for champions PSG with both Mbappe and Neymar left out of new coach Luis Enrique’s team for Saturday’s underwhelming opening goalless draw against Lorient.
After being sidelined for several weeks amid an ongoing contract dispute Mbappe watched from the Parc des Princes stands.
But the club’s prize asset is now back in the fold, for the time being at least.
“After very constructive and positive discussions between Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappe before the PSG-Lorient match, the player was reinstated in first team training this morning,” PSG said in a statement.
Brazilian star Neymar was in contrast conspicuous by his absence on Saturday, the official line being he was suffering from a “viral syndrome”.
A source told AFP on Sunday that the 31-year-old Brazilian forward “no longer figures in the club or manager’s plans”.
Neymar, who joined PSG for a record 220mn euros ($241m) from Barcelona in 2017, is “probably leaving”, the same source added.
Neymar was said to be in talks with a club from the Saudi Pro League. French sports daily L’Equipe reported that Al Hilal is the club that has tabled the offer.
Last month Al Hilal made a 300mn-euro ($328mn) bid for Mbappe, though the striker reportedly refused to meet with officials from the team.
Neymar underwent surgery on his right ankle in early March, only returning to join PSG on their pre-season tour of Asia.
His time at PSG has been blighted by a catalogue of injuries.
Although he helped the club to the 2020 Champions League final he has often been sidelined for key games.
If Neymar does end up moving to Saudi Arabia he will join a growing list of top players lured to the oil-rich kingdom since Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr in January.
After a summer of flux at the Parc des Princes filled with new arrivals, doubts over Neymar’s future and Lionel Messi’s departure, it is the Mbappe stand-off that dominates the headlines.
The France captain has refused to sign an extension to his PSG deal, meaning he can leave for free next year, with Real Madrid long seen as his preferred destination.
Qatari-owned PSG want to sell him now and bring in a significant transfer fee for a player who cost 180mn euros ($198mn) from Monaco in 2017.
“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,” PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi said last month.
Mbappe had not been allowed train with the first team and played only one of PSG’s five warm-up games and was not invited to the pre-season tour in Japan and South Korea.
He sat alongside fellow 2018 World Cup winner Ousmane Dembele, who completed his transfer from Barcelona earlier Saturday, as Luis Enrique handed debuts to six players against Lorient.
Meanwhile Last year’s runners-up Lens blew a two-goal lead to lose their opener 3-2 at Brest on Sunday. In spite of losing their influential captain Seko Fofana and striker Lois Openda during the summer break, Lens made a dazzling start to the new season with Florian Sotoca and Deiver Machado putting them two up after just 22 minutes.
Brest, however, hit back just before half-time when Romain del Castillo netted the first of his two penalties. Brest took the reins in the second half and equalised through Kenny Lala in the 56th minute.
The game appeared to be heading for a draw before Lens substitute Adrien Thomasson was sent off in the 82nd minute and five minutes later Mahdi Camara gave away another penalty.
Up stepped Del Castillo to bury his second spot-kick and snatch the points for Brest.