Steve Clarke has told his Scotland players to “stop this run” of defeats next month after losing 4-1 to France in Lille.
The Scots went into the friendly knowing they had qualified for the 2024 European Championships after Spain beat Norway at the weekend to ensure a top-two finish in Group A.
Scotland had lost 2-0 to Spain last week on the back of a 3-1 loss to England at Hampden Park in the 150th Heritage Anniversary match and the French were even classier.
Clarke made eight changes from Seville – goalkeepers Liam Kelly and Zander Clark played a half each on their debuts.
Scotland stunned the home side when midfielder Billy Gilmour guided in the opener after 11 minutes – his first ever senior goal.
However, France defender Benjamin Pavard scored two headers, skipper Kylian Mbappe added a third from the spot before the break after a VAR intervention saw referee Tobias Stieler judge Scotland defender Liam Cooper had held Olivier Giroud and substitute Kingsley Coman hammered in a fourth.
After victory in their first five Euro qualifiers, Scotland have lost three in a row and Clarke wants to get that winning feeling back in the final two qualifiers against Georgia next month before the final game against Norway.
He said: “We can take away the memory of the qualification but we lost two games in the camp.
“We don’t like losing. I don’t want them to be comfortable losing or happy to lose.
“We spoke about that after the game. It is important we set our standards higher than that.
“We have lost three in a row now and I have asked them to make sure that when we got to Georgia that we stop this run.
“We want to finish on the same points as Spain so the target is to finish with 21 point which will make it a good campaign.”
Clarke, who was “happy” with his team selection, acknowledged the superiority of the home side.
He said: “I thought we started the game really well, the first 15 minute was good and we got ourselves in front.
“To concede a goal from a corner was disappointing because we know France can score from open play and we try not to give goals away from set plays.
“The third goal – I don’t think VAR should have got involved in the decision, it was soft and when the referee goes there he has to be strong to stick with his original decision.
“Both players were at it and that takes the game away from us.
“The second half was OK but France are always a threat with their pace and power and quality.
“So lots to learn, lots to improve. We know we are not at that level yet.
“It is level we are going to strive to get to and the harder we strive the better team we will be.”
After sealing qualification to Euro 2024 with a 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Friday, France boss Didier Deschamps was happy to finish the camp off with a convincing win
He said: “It was a very good week, When you win you are always happy.
“The most important thing was against the Netherlands on Friday night and the fact that we have shown so much quality tonight as well, it is a great satisfaction for us.
“We created lots of chances against a team that can defend pretty well and has a lot of qualities. So we are very happy.”
Scotland gave France an early fright before suffering a chastening 4-1 loss to their classy hosts in Lille.
The Scots went into the friendly knowing they had qualified for the 2024 European Championships at the weekend after Spain beat Norway to ensure Steve Clarke’s side a top-two finish in Group A.
Clarke took the opportunity to utilise his squad, giving a debut to Liam Kelly among eight changes from last week’s game in Seville and they stunned the home side when midfielder Billy Gilmour guided in the opener after 11 minutes – his first ever senior goal.
However, France defender Benjamin Pavard scored twice with headers by way of a rapid response and skipper Kylian Mbappe added a third from the spot before the break.
Substitute Kingsley Coman hammered in a fourth in the 70th minute to seal a commanding win for the superior home side.
After winning their first five Euro qualifiers, Scotland have lost three games in a row and Clarke will want to get that winning feeling back in the final two qualifiers against Georgia and Norway next month.
In addition to Kelly’s introduction to international football in The Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre Mauroy, Clarke also brought in defenders Nathan Patterson, Greg Taylor and Liam Cooper, midfielders Kenny McLean, Gilmour and Lewis Ferguson and striker Che Adams.
It was always going to be a tough test against Les Blues, who qualified comfortably for Euro 2024 by winning their first six qualifiers.
Boss Didier Deschamps also freshened his side up from the 2-1 win over the Netherlands last Friday.
Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann kept their places while Ousmane Dembele and all-time leading scorer Olivier Giroud came back into the side.
The kick-off was delayed for around 10 minutes due to the long queues at the stadium amid extra security measures put in place after two Swedish nationals were shot dead in Brussels the previous evening.
There was a minute’s silence before the game to commemorate that incident and it was a low-key start to the game on a pitch still showing markings from its use in the Rugby World Cup, before the Scots took an unexpected lead.
France defender Eduardo Camavinga cut out a pass from Gilmour inside the box but with a poor touch gave it straight back to the unmarked Brighton midfielder, who curled the ball low past goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
However, there was little time for the Tartan Army to enjoy the landmark goal as a Griezmann corner from the left five minutes later was all too easily glanced past Kelly by Inter Milan centre-back Pavard.
A refocused France side took control of the game and Mbappe skipped past Jack Hendry before crossing for Pavard again to head past Kelly from close range.
The visitors were struggling to get up the pitch and in the 40th minute France were awarded a penalty after referee Tobias Stieler went pitchside at the behest of VAR and judged Cooper had held Giroud inside the penalty area, with Mbappe stepping up to send the penalty past the diving Kelly, who got close but not close enough.
The Motherwell keeper did not look great moments later when he fumbled a shot from Dembele but the lurking Mbappe could not capitalise.
Hearts keeper Zander Clark replaced Kelly at the start of the second half to make his debut and Jacob Brown and John Souttar would take over from Adams and Cooper. Giroud and Dembele made way for Marcus Thuram and Coman and in the 70th minute the latter thrashed a shot high past Clark after Griezmann had volleyed against the bar.
A low drive from Brown in a rare Scotland attack was pushed past the post by Maignan and the corner came to nothing before Ryan Christie and Stuart Armstrong came on for Gilmour and McLean.
Thuram rattled Clark’s crossbar with a drive and at the other Maignan made saves from Armstrong’s volley and Brown’s header but the game was already well gone for Scotland.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice, including a stunning strike from just outside the box, as France beat the Netherlands 2-0 in Amsterdam to secure Euro 2024 qualification.
After putting Les Bleus ahead with a seventh-minute finish, Mbappe added a breathtaking second eight minutes into the second half, exchanging passes with Adrien Rabiot and sending a curling shot over Bart Verbruggen and into the top corner.
Quilindschy Hartman reduced the deficit with seven minutes of normal time remaining.
The result extended France’s perfect record in Group B to a sixth victory as they rubber-stamped their place in next summer’s finals in Germany with two fixtures to spare.
Their opponents dropped from second to third, replaced by Greece – who won 2-0 against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
Georgios Giakoumakis and Georgios Masouras scored in the first half as Ireland’s chances of automatic qualification officially came to an end.
Greece are now three points clear of the Netherlands, who have a game in hand.
In Group F, Belgium sealed progress to the finals with a 3-2 win away against second-placed Austria.
The visitors appeared to be cruising after Dodi Lukebakio’s double and a Romelu Lukaku effort had them three goals up before the hour mark.
Things then became less comfortable as Konrad Laimer pulled a goal back in the 72nd minute, Belgium were reduced to 10 men by a red card for Amadou Onana six minutes later, and Marcel Sabitzer scored an 84th-minute penalty – but Domenico Tedesco’s side managed to see out the win.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan registered their first win in the group as they beat Estonia 2-0 in Tallinn.
Portugal also completed the job of qualification via a 3-2 victory as they defeated Slovakia in Porto, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice.
Goncalo Ramos and a Ronaldo penalty had the hosts two goals up at half-time, and after David Hancko’s reply, Ronaldo made it 3-1 in the 72nd minute with his 125th international goal.
Stanislav Lobotka netted a second for Slovakia, who are second behind Portugal in Group J.
Friday’s other matches in the pool saw Iceland and Luxembourg draw 1-1 in Reykjavik and Bosnia and Herzegovina win 2-0 in Liechtenstein.
Luis Enrique has vowed to get the best out of superstar Kylian Mbappe as he attempts to address Paris St Germain’s stuttering form.
The Ligue 1 champions return to domestic action at Rennes on Sunday still smarting from their 4-1 Champions League drubbing at Newcastle on Wednesday evening, during which Mbappe cut a frustrated figure.
However speaking at his pre-match press conference, PSG boss Enrique dismissed concerns over the striker’s fitness – he limped out of the 4-0 win over Marseille a fortnight ago with an ankle injury, but has started the two games since – and backed him to return to his best form.
He said: “Kylian is 100 per cent. Like all players, his fitness varies throughout the season. Not everything can be black and white.
“He’s a decisive player for us and my aim as coach is to make the most of his qualities.”
Like Mbappe, summer signing Ousmane Dembele made little impact at St James’ Park, but Enrique called for patience with the former Barcelona star as he adapts to his new surroundings.
He said: “I’m very happy with Ousmane’s work so far. I don’t think we need to put any particular pressure on him.
“The first person to blame when things aren’t going well is the coach. My real objective is to attack with 11 attackers and defend with 11 defenders.
“Ousmane Dembele plays on the flanks but he can also come into the middle to provide support. He’s an ideal player for my playing philosophy, with the ability to unbalance opponents. I’m happy with his attitude and his performances.”
PSG headed into the weekend sitting in fifth place in the table, two points behind early leaders Monaco, but having won only four of their nine games in all competitions to date to leave Enrique himself in the firing line.
However, the Spaniard remained defiant in the wake of intense criticism of his side’s performance at Newcastle.
He said: “My job is to find the best way to achieve the best possible results. In any case, I have every confidence in my players and my staff going forward.”
Rennes, who lost for the first time this season when they went down 1-0 at Villarreal in the Europa League on Thursday evening, have frustrated PSG in recent seasons, completing a league double over them last season.
The Parisians have not returned from Rennes with all three points since September 2018 and have managed just a single draw in their last four visits.
Enrique said: “Rennes are undoubtedly one of the best teams in the league. Historically, they’re a club that we’ve had some difficulty facing, especially when we play them away.
“They have some very interesting attacking systems, with some very strong individual attacking players.”
The sight of a bloodied and bandaged Alexander Isak scrapping with Paris St Germain’s defence signalled a new step in his blossoming career for Newcastle boss Eddie Howe.
Isak rekindled memories of Magpies warhorse Alan Shearer during Wednesday night’s 4-1 Champions League demolition of the French champions when – after he had been left bleeding in a clash of heads with full-back Lucas Hernandez – he picked himself up and redoubled his efforts to spearhead the attack once again.
Head coach Howe was delighted with the 24-year-old Sweden international’s response to his midweek misfortune.
He said: “Especially in recent weeks, I’ve seen a real desire off the ball from Alex to press, to work, to set the standards, really, from the front in terms of how we play off the ball and I think he’s been terrific.
“It was not nice to see him cut and bandaged, I’d never say that, but it was nice to see a response to it. He responded and worked even harder, so full credit to him.”
Isak scored twice in his first three games for Newcastle, including a fine strike on his debut at Liverpool, but was then sidelined for almost four months with a thigh injury he sustained on international duty, although Howe admits even that enforced lay-off proved fruitful.
He said: “It was a big change for him when he came to England because just the style of play and our style of play is different, so I think there was a period of adjustment for him.
“But I think probably what helped him, actually, was his early injury gave him a chance to sit back and watch the team and to understand the expectations and how we do things. Sometimes you can see that even clearer from watching.”
Former Real Sociedad frontman Isak, who is again likely to lead the line at West Ham on Sunday with Callum Wilson – like midfielder Joelinton – battling a hamstring injury, is the newly-enriched club’s record signing with his fee eventually set to reach £63million.
But his efforts this week have been celebrated no more than those of defender Fabian Schar, whose £3m price tag when he joined the club from Deportivo la Coruna in July 2018, is starting to look like a spectacular bargain.
Schar’s form under Howe has been superb and the 31-year-old capped a fine defensive display against PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe and company with a stunning injury-time strike from distance.
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Howe said: “It’s not about price because that’s only what someone pays and what someone agrees to receive for the player. He’s just been excellent, he really has.
“It’s not a conventional centre-half’s finish that, it’s a centre-forward’s finish, really. But he has the capability to produce moments that take your breath away. Technically he is so good.
“If he was starting his career now, he’d be worth an absolute fortune. He’s a top player and I’m really pleased that he’s getting the consistency and the accolades for his performances.”
Dan Burn realised a dream he never imagined would come true when he scored in Newcastle’s Champions League triumph over Paris St Germain.
The Magpies defender was earning £9 an hour collecting trolleys when he got his break in football as a 17-year-old YTS trainee with Darlington.
On Wednesday night, his header put his side 2-0 ahead in their Group F clash with the French champions at St James’ Park, and they went on to secure a famous 4-1 victory to give themselves a genuine chance of qualification.
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Asked afterwards if he had ever dreamt of scoring in the Champions League, the 31-year-old said: “I dreamt of it. I never thought it was going to happen.
“I don’t think it’s really sunk in. The next few days once I’ve watched it back about a hundred times and managed to celebrate with my family, it probably will.
“But (it was) just a special night all round for the city.”
Burn’s big moment, which came after Miguel Almiron had fired the home side in front, was surrounded by drama after he headed home Bruno Guimaraes’ cross and immediately saw the flag go up to spark a lengthy VAR check.
But the 6ft 6in defender eventually got the answer he craved to spark wild celebrations on and off the pitch.
He said: “It spoiled it a little bit because as soon as I scored, I looked up and saw the offside flag and you’re a bit deflated.
“But as it went longer and longer, you think it might be a goal and just to have the lads jumping on you and looking around, and I’ve got all my family here as well…
“To be able to say that I’ve scored in the Champions League for Newcastle is amazing.”
Much of the talk before the game centred on how a Newcastle defence shorn of the services of key man Sven Botman would handle the threat of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani.
In the event, Burn, Kieran Trippier, Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar – who also got his name on the scoresheet – coped admirably to blunt a potentially lethal attack.
Asked about Mbappe, Burn said with a smile: “He stayed on the left side, so I was quite happy, to be fair. But even to say I was playing against Mbappe is crazy.
“As I said, he kept over to Tripps’ side more, so I was happy with him.”
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The Magpies will resume their campaign after the international break with another home tie against Borussia Dortmund, but will do so having made a significant statement about their prospects.
Burn said: “We don’t fear anyone. We worked very, very hard to get to this point and we want to enjoy it, but we’ll only enjoy that playing the way that we play.
“We’ve just got to keep the momentum going.”
Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier is relishing the task of ruining Kylian Mbappe’s Champions League trip to Tyneside even if it might upset his son.
Magpies full-back Trippier is likely to be in direct competition with the Paris St Germain superstar when the clubs go head-to-head in Group F at St James’ Park on Wednesday evening.
However, he has revealed his son Jacob is a huge fan of Mbappe – who was seen calling for his gloves as he and his team-mates trained at an autumnal St James’ on Tuesday evening – and that has been a bone of contention in the lead up to an eagerly-anticipated game.
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Trippier said with a smile: “I was having a bit of banter with him last night and he said he wanted to walk out with Mbappe instead of me. I wasn’t really happy with that.
“He’s obsessed with him, always watching his clips on YouTube. I said to him, ‘If you get to walk out with Mbappe, you don’t look at me in the tunnel’.”
Trippier saw how dangerous Mbappe can be at close hand at last year’s World Cup finals, where he watched from the bench as France dumped England out at the quarter-final stage, and has also come up against the supremely-talented 24-year-old on the pitch on more than one occasion in the past.
He said: “I played against him – I think it might have been his debut game for Monaco – when I was at Tottenham, and I played against him for England on my debut – it’s quite a few years ago.
“This is football. These are the games you want as a player, playing in the Champions League, playing against the best players, the best teams. Paris have got unbelievable players in the team.
“Of course we need to recognise that Mbappe is one of the best players in the world, but they’ve got quality all over the pitch and we can’t be too fixed on them.
“We need to play our way because on our day, we can hurt anyone.”
For head coach Eddie Howe, the task is to put together a side which can extend an unbeaten five-game run in all competitions and build upon the start they achieved with a 0-0 draw at AC Milan in their opening fixture.
He will have to do so, however, without key defender Sven Botman and in all likelihood, with midfielder Joelinton and striker Callum Wilson also missing through injury.
The fixture, which rekindles memories of a famous 3-2 victory over Barcelona in the same competition in 1997, is a measure of the progress Newcastle have made in the two years since Amanda Staveley’s consortium launched its successful takeover and Howe, who arrived a few weeks later, admits the speed of progress has taken everyone by surprise.
He said: “Things move really quickly in football. I haven’t been here the whole two years, but my part of it has absolutely flown by.
“Initially, nothing like this was in our thoughts, the speed at which it’s happened. The only thing in our thoughts was staying in the Premier League initially.
“But the swing of momentum has shifted so powerfully and quickly in a positive direction for us. My only thought is to keep that momentum for as long as we can.”
A positive result against PSG would provide further evidence of the strides which have been taken, and Trippier insists victory, rather than football tourism, is his only focus.
Asked if he would be chasing Mbappe’s shirt after the final whistle, he said: “That has not crossed my mind. My thought process is to win.”
Kylian Mbappe is available for Paris St Germain’s Ligue 1 clash with Clermont on Saturday but could be rested ahead of the Champions League trip to Newcastle.
The France forward was forced off early in last weekend’s 4-0 hammering of Marseille with an ankle injury and boss Luis Enrique must decide whether to risk him in the meeting against the league’s bottom side.
Mbappe trained away from the rest of the squad on Thursday but was back with his team-mates on Friday.
“Kylian Mbappe trained with the squad today, he’s available,” said Enrique on PSG TV. “He has had some treatment and done some specific sessions, but he’s in shape to play.”
The defending champions made a shaky start to the season, drawing with Lorient and Toulouse and losing to Nice, and sit third in the table behind Brest and Nice heading into the weekend.
But the result against big rivals Marseille coupled with a Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund has put a different complexion on things.
“Confidence comes with good results,” said Enrique. “We had some difficult results early in the season but, when you win, everything is great, and confidence builds with victories.
“There’s a lot of things to improve. In a learning process, there is always a phase at the start where you have to learn a lot.
“We’re still in that phase. I’ve been very happy with the players since I took over but we’re still far from the level we want to achieve in attack and defence.”
Clermont have taken only one point from their first six matches, conceding 12 goals in the process, but Enrique believes that belies their quality.
“They don’t deserve to be bottom of the table,” he said. “They play good football, work well, and last season had a very solid base. They’re one of the best teams defensively.
“It’s an important game because it comes a few days before a Champions League away game. We mustn’t drop off and underestimate our opponents. It won’t be an easy game.”
PSG, meanwhile, announced on Friday that left-back Nuno Mendes is expected to be out for a further four months after undergoing surgery on his hamstring in Finland.
The 21-year-old Portugal international suffered the injury in July and an operation has now been deemed the best option in his recovery.
Enrique said: “For Nuno Mendes, we have to be careful with all of that.
“We’ve got enough strength in depth but we have to find solutions because the season is long.”
Paris St Germain fell to their first defeat of the season as Nice stunned the Ligue 1 champions with a 3-2 win at the Parc des Princes.
Terem Moffi scored a goal in each half for the visitors with Gaetan Laborde also on the mark as Francesco Farioli’s side raced into a 3-1 lead, after Kylian Mbappe had equalised in the first half.
Mbappe struck again three minutes from time to set up a tense finish but Luis Enrique saw his team succumb to a first loss of his tenure as Nice leapfrogged them into second place in the table, a point behind leaders Monaco.
It was the worst possible start to a run of three difficult matches that sees PSG kick off their Champions League campaign at home to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday before facing Marseille in the league next weekend.
They had been buoyed by the presence of Mbappe in the starting XI after he survived an injury scare whilst on international duty with France, but it was the striker who was at fault for Nice to take the lead in the 21st minute, giving the ball away in his own half and allowing Moffi to score with a deflected effort past Gianluigi Donnarumma on the break.
The 24-year-old made amends minutes later when Achraf Hakimi got clear down the right and cut the ball back for Mbappe to side-foot past the goalkeeper for his sixth goal in four league games and make it 1-1.
Moffi turned provider shortly after the restart as Nice regained the lead, another breakaway move seeing the striker hold the ball up well and cross for Laborde to volley home with Donnarumma stranded.
And the pair combined again as Nice went 3-1 ahead midway through the second half, Moffi playing a one-two with Laborde before making room to drill the ball into the corner despite the attentions of Milan Skriniar and Lucas Hernandez.
Mbappe set up a grandstand finish when he volleyed Randal Kolo Muani’s cross into the ground and up over the goalkeeper three minutes from the end.
But it was not enough to deny Nice a famous win at the start of Enrique’s toughest week in charge.
Luis Enrique said Kylian Mbappe is in a good state of mind to return to his Paris Saint Germain side ahead of Saturday’s Ligue 1 meeting with Toulouse.
The striker was absent from the squad for the opening-weekend goalless draw with Lorient following a tumultuous summer in which a dispute over his future left him training separately from the first team.
The 23-year-old has only a year to run on his current contract and has stated his reluctance to sign renewed terms, but has been brought back into the fold and is in line play on Saturday.
The manager said he is happy to have a player of the World Cup-winner’s ability available as he looks to win the title in his first season in charge.
“I am very happy to have a world-class player like Kylian,” said Enrique. “He is in great shape, he has a lot of desire, a very good state of mind.”
It will be PSG’s first game in Ligue 1 since world-record signing Neymar departed to sign for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
Enrique managed the Brazilian during the time together at Barcelona, winning the Champions League in 2015, but the 31-year-old had recently made clear his desire to leave the club he joined for £190million in 2017.
He made 173 appearances for PSG after signing from Barcelona in 2017, helping the club win 13 trophies, including five Ligue 1 titles, as well as reaching the final of the Champions League in 2020.
The manager said that despite Mbappe’s return there would still be attacking reinforcements required following Neymar’s departure.
“He is a world-class player and I wish him well for the future,” said Enrique.
“We still need to strengthen (in attack) because it is the where we had the fewest recruits. We still have work to do on how they complement each other.”
The former Barca manager, who replaced Christophe Galtier as manager of the Ligue 1 champions in July, said he is yet to select a new team captain and yet may yet allow his squad to pick whom they wish to lead them this season.
“There are four captains (in the squad) – that something that is defined by the players, not by the coach. I want him (who the players choose) to be their captain, not my captain.”
The club was boosted by the news on Friday that goalkeeper Sergio Rico has been discharged from the hospital, three months after he sustained a head injury following an accident with a loose horse.
Paris St Germain are ready to integrate Kylian Mbappe back into the first-team squad, according to reports.
The France captain’s future in the capital city has seemed uncertain following links with a move to Real Madrid and reports earlier this week that he was frozen out of senior training.
Mbappe was told to stay away after he refused to activate an option to extend his current contract to 2025, meaning the superstar would be free to negotiate a free transfer to foreign clubs in January.
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He was not involved as PSG began their Ligue 1 campaign in underwhelming fashion with a goalless draw against Lorient, with Neymar also not included in the matchday squad.
But before the game Mbappe and the club are reported to have held positive talks that will see the 24-year-old return to Luis Enrique’s squad.
A club statement on Sunday, reported by French newspaper L’Equipe, read: “After very constructive and positive discussions between Paris St Germain and Kylian Mbappe before the PSG-Lorient match, the player was reinstated in the first training team this morning.”
Boss Enrique had said before the game that he was confident of a positive outcome.
“It is something that has already happened in the past and there was a positive solution before I was here,” he said in his pre-match press conference.
“I hope and wish that, just like in the past, the same thing will happen again and that the club and the player will reach an agreement.”
Kylian Mbappe will be barred from training with Paris St Germain’s main first-team group as his contract dispute with the club continues, the PA news agency understands.
PSG return to their training base on Monday following their pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea, but Mbappe will be part of the so-called ‘loft’ training group rather than the first team as his stand-off with the club drags on.
PSG sources remain convinced the player, who is out of contract next summer, has already agreed a free transfer deal with Real Madrid.
Mbappe’s management are understood to have refused to engage with an offer from the club to sign a new contract containing a guaranteed sale clause, which would allow him to join another club for a fee next summer.
From PSG’s perspective, there is no reason why he would turn down the offer, because it gives him the opportunity to leave when he wants and join the club he wants.
PSG had given Al Hilal permission to speak to the player after they tabled a world record bid of £259million last month, but Mbappe reportedly refused to even meet with delegates from the Saudi club who had flown to Paris.
Chelsea and Barcelona are understood to be two of the clubs trying to work out a player-plus-cash deal for Mbappe, who was part of France’s World Cup-winning squad in 2018 and also one of the stars of the last tournament in Qatar.
PSG kick off their 2023/24 Ligue 1 campaign at home to Lorient on Saturday.
Kylian Mbappe and his representatives refused to meet with Al Hilal officials in Paris on Wednesday to discuss a possible world-record transfer to Saudi Arabia, it has been reported.
Mbappe’s club Paris St Germain are understood to have given the Saudi Pro League side permission to speak with the France striker over personal terms after receiving a £259million bid for the player in writing.
An Al Hilal delegation was reported to have been hoping to sell their project to Mbappe in Paris while finalising the signing of Brazil striker Malcom from Zenit St Petersburg.
But, according to French sports newspaper L’Equipe, Mbappe and his team have refused to enter into any discussions with the Saudi club and he has never considered the option.
Mbappe’s PSG future has been in serious doubt since it emerged in June that he would not extend his existing deal through to 2025, meaning he would become a free agent next summer and be able to discuss a pre-contract agreement with another club as early as January.
PSG have not confirmed the reports that Mbappe has snubbed Al Hilal’s approach, but are understood to be convinced that Mbappe has already agreed a free transfer to Real Madrid next summer.
Parisian sources have said the 24-year-old would benefit from a 160m euro (£138m) signing-on fee if he wound down his existing contract and moved to the Spanish capital in 2024.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters is “not too concerned” for now about Saudi Arabia’s ascendancy in football as he reasoned it takes time to become a dominant force.
Al Hilal submitted a world-record £259million offer for Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, who has 12 months left on his current deal and been given permission to speak to the Saudi club.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have already joined the country’s Pro League while Liverpool have agreed a deal with Al-Ettifaq – managed by Steven Gerrard – to sell their captain Jordan Henderson.
“Something new is obviously happening,” Masters told BBC Sport. “The Saudi Pro League have stated they want to be a top 10 league by 2030.
“They are investing in players and managers to try to raise the profile of the league and clubs.
“It has taken us 30 years to get to the position that we have in terms of profile, competitiveness and the revenue streams that we have.
“I wouldn’t be too concerned at the moment but, obviously, Saudi Arabian clubs have as much right to purchase players as any other league does.
“In the end, the Premier League is a £6billion-a-year operation in terms of revenue and that money is spent reinvested into the pitch. All good competitions have to have revenue streams to back them up.”
Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal have submitted a world record 300 million euro (£259m) bid for Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, the PA news agency understands.
Mbappe’s future in Paris is in serious doubt after the 24-year-old was left out of the club’s pre-season tour of Japan.
PA understands Al Hilal have submitted a bid in writing for the player, who is out of contract next summer.
Sources close to the French club say there has also been interest in the player from other clubs in recent days, including Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Inter Milan and Barcelona.
The current world record transfer fee was paid by PSG, when they signed Neymar from Barcelona for a deal reported at the time as £200m.
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