Kylian Mbappe could reportedly submit a transfer request if Paris Saint-Germain lose to Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16.
The Ligue 1 giants will bid to keep their hopes of lifting their first Champions League trophy alive when they lock horns over two legs with six-time winners Bayern Munich.
PSG will have to cope without Mbappe for the first leg at the Parc des Princes next Tuesday due to a thigh injury, but the 23-year-old could recover in time for the reverse fixture at the Allianz Arena on March 8.
Speaking to Canal+ after beating Montpelier on February 1, PSG manager Christophe Galtier said: "He took a knock to the back of the knee or the back of the thigh, so we'll see. I'm not too worried. It's a bruise or a contusion, we don't know yet.
"With the run of matches we don't want to take risks with a very busy fixture list, but it doesn't appear that serious."
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Mbappe has established himself as one of the best players in world football since his arrival at PSG in 2017, scoring 196 goals and registering 94 assists in 243 appearances across all competitions.
The 24-year-old has found the net 25 times in 26 games so far this season, including seven strikes in six Champions League matches – the joint-most in the competition along with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.
Mbappe is under contract at the Parc des Princes until June 2024, and there is the option for the forward's deal to be extended by a further 12 months.
However, speculation continues to swirl surrounding the Frenchman's next career move, amid strong links with known-admirers Real Madrid as well as Premier League sides Liverpool and Manchester United.
According to Marca, Mbappe may request to leave PSG if they fail to beat Bayern and progress to the Champions League quarter-finals this season.
The report adds that another Champions League failure could ultimately force the forward to push for an exit in the summer transfer window.
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Furthermore, PSG chiefs have been fighting tooth and nail to convince Mbappe to sign another contract extension, less than six months after penning fresh terms, but they believe that the Frenchman sees his future elsewhere.
Over the last five seasons, Mbappe and PSG have been eliminated in the last 16 of the Champions League on three occasions, including a 3-2 aggregate defeat to eventual winners Real Madrid last season.
The Parisian giants reached their first-ever final in 2020 but lost out to Bayern Munich, before suffering a 4-1 aggregate defeat against Manchester City in the 2021 semi-finals.
Mbappe – who has already won four Ligue 1 titles – has aspirations of getting his hands on the Champions League trophy, and he allegedly believes that a potential move away from PSG may be required to boost his chances.
Mbappe was signed by PSG for a fee eventually rising to around £163m from Monaco, and the Parisian side will likely demand a similar figure should they decide to cash in on the forward.
Oliver Thomas
