Paris Saint-Germain attacker Kylian Mbappe has reportedly held clear-the-air talks with head coach Luis Enrique following recent early substitutions in the French top flight.
Since the 25-year-old told PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season, he has failed to complete the full 90 minutes in a Ligue 1 fixture.
Mbappe was firstly benched for a trip to Nantes on February 17, a couple of days after his decision became public knowledge, although he scored from the penalty spot as a substitute in that 2-0 win.
The former Monaco man was subsequently taken off midway through the second half of a 1-1 draw with Nantes, before a shock half-time withdrawal in Friday's goalless stalemate with his old team.
After being substituted during the break, Mbappe changed into a tracksuit and made his way around the Stade Louis II track, waving to supporters before sitting in the stands with his mother.
© Reuters
PSG boss Enrique confirmed after the game that the France international was not taken off due to injury and reiterated that his team must get accustomed to playing without Mbappe, a point he made after the draw with Rennes.
The Ligue 1 champions peculiarly improved on the attacking front against Monaco once Mbappe was taken off, although they still failed to find a way through and were indebted to some heroic saves from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to come away with a point.
According to ESPN, Mbappe sought a meeting with Enrique on Saturday to discuss his recent early substitutions, during which the latter denied that his withdrawals were payback for his decision to leave the club this summer.
Mbappe was supposedly "unhappy" to lose his place in the PSG XI to Randal Kolo Muani for the second half of Friday's game, but Enrique told him that he had withdrawn him as a precautionary measure.
The 25-year-old's demotion against Nantes came a few days after the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Real Sociedad, whom they will face in the return fixture on Tuesday.
© Reuters
However, Mbappe still feels that Enrique's calls are retribution for his refusal to extend his contract and leave on a free transfer, although he will still be expected to start against Sociedad on Tuesday night.
The World Cup winner is already believed to have agreed a five-year contract with Real Madrid, who will pay him a yearly salary of €15m (£12.9m) and a signing-on fee of €150m (£128.6m).
Mbappe will leave as PSG's highest scorer of all time, having come up with 244 strikes and 105 assists in 293 matches for Les Parisiens, winning five Ligue 1 titles but failing to guide Les Parisiens to Champions League glory.
As well as the striker, Real Madrid are also said to have agreed to sign his 17-year-old brother Ethan Mbappe following a request from the Mbappe family.
