Paris Saint-Germain pledged to make sweeping changes to how the club is run and put together a staggering £650,000-a-week wage packet in their successful bid to convince star striker Kylian Mbappe to stay.
The France international, 23, rejected Real Madrid to sign a new three-year contract at the Parc des Princes, drawing a line under a long-running transfer saga before the summer window has even opened.
Mbappe duly followed up the announcement by scoring a hat-trick against Metz on Saturday night, taking his season goal tally to 39.
Kylian Mbappe poses with Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi after agreeing a three-year contract extension through until 2025 to remain at the Parc des Princes
The France striker snubbed Real Madrid to remain in Paris for at least the next three seasons
And details are now emerging of the incredible lengths PSG went to in order to persuade Mbappe to continue with them until at least 2025, making him the highest-paid player in world football.
L’Equipe report on Sunday that Mbappe was promised there would be a complete overhaul of the club’s management and a shift in focus from global marketing of the club’s brand to doing whatever is necessary to win the Champions League.
Sporting director Leonardo has been fired and further changes are anticipated in the coming days, showing the influence of Mbappe over not only the PSG team but the club as a whole.
It remains to be seen whether manager Mauricio Pochettino keeps his job after their dramatic defeat to Real in the Champions League last-16.
PSG also reportedly stressed Mbappe’s importance to French football in general, including his marketing value to grow the profile of Ligue 1 around the world and help a French club become champions of Europe.
PSG have fired their sporting director Leonardo after another Champions League failure
Manager Mauricio Pochettino could follow soon after PSG won just the Ligue 1 title
Then, of course, there is the…