Leonardo Reveals Why He Left PSG After Kylian Mbappé’s 2022 Contract Renewal

‎Leonardo returned to Paris Saint-Germain for a second time in 2022 as sporting director, but he later told RMC Sport that he could not stay at the club because of Kylian Mbappé’s contract extension.

‎Mbappé’s deal at PSG was agreed at the end of the 2021/22 season. The France forward, an AS Monaco academy product, famously posed with the now-iconic “Mbappé 2025” jersey alongside Nasser Al-Khelaifi. At the time, it felt like a major victory for PSG and was celebrated as such.

‎However, it precipitated Leonardo’s departure from the club, and according to the sporting director, the deal should never have happened at all.

‎“He should have left in 2021,” argued Leonardo.

‎“He should have left because he wanted to leave. He wanted to leave, leave! That’s how I am. You can’t say, ‘No, please stay’, for me, that can’t happen.”

‎Not only did the contract extension extend Mbappé’s stay at the Parc des Princes for a further two years, but it also reportedly gave him extra powers within the club. At the time, it was reported that the deal would see the France captain have a say on recruitment.

‎“When he renewed, there were conditions for renewal that I didn’t agree with. I couldn’t stay,” who also evoked the Frenchman’s decision to remain at PSG:

‎“It wasn’t a question of money. He stayed because he is Parisian but he wanted to leave for Real Madrid.”

‎And of course, he did, joining Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer of 2024. Since then, Mbappé and PSG have been embroiled in a legal battle over unpaid wages and bonuses.