Kylian Mbappe has condemned the treatment his former teammate Lionel Messi experienced during the Argentine’s two years with Paris Saint-Germain.

“We’re talking about potentially the best player in the history of football,” Mbappe told Gazzetta dello Sport, as translated by ESPN. “It’s never good news when someone like Messi leaves.

“Personally, I haven’t really understood why so many people were relieved that he was leaving. We’re talking about Messi, he should be respected. But instead, he didn’t get the respect he deserved in France. It’s a shame, but that’s how it went. He’ll have to be replaced as best as possible.”

Messi announced last week he plans to join Major League Soccer club Inter Miami when his PSG contract officially expires at the end of June.

Despite winning Ligue 1 twice, the 35-year-old struggled to live up to expectations at PSG after leaving Barcelona in 2021 by failing to help the Qatar-backed club achieve its goal of winning the Champions League.

Messi was booed and jeered after PSG’s most recent early exit from the Champions League when they were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the round of 16.

Meanwhile, Mbappe, who’s been linked with Real Madrid after news broke that he doesn’t plan on staying at PSG beyond 2024, echoed the remarks he made Tuesday by insisting he plans to play with the capital city club next season.

“I didn’t ask either to be sold or to go to Real Madrid,” Mbappe said. “I just confirmed that I don’t want to activate the extra year foreseen in the contract. We have never talked about a renewal with PSG, but I’m happy to stay here next season.”

Real Madrid’s master plan to sign Kylian Mbappe has been fast-tracked with news that the French star won’t extend his stay at Paris Saint-Germain beyond next season.

The Spanish giants are prepared to launch a bid to sign the 24-year-old this summer instead of waiting until next year after his contract expires, sources told ESPN’s Rodrigo Faez and Alex Kirkland.

PSG will reportedly consider offers worth around €150 million ($161.5 million) to avoid potentially losing him for nothing in 2024.

Mbappe said PSG were informed of his decision not to extend for another season in July 2022, adding that the letter he sent to the club on Monday “was to confirm what had already been spoken about previously.”

On Tuesday, he rejected a report that stated he wants to join Real Madrid this summer, insisting he plans to play out the final year of his contract.

Regardless of his intentions, signing Mbappe isn’t expected to be easy for Real Madrid, as PSG will try to sell the World Cup winner to any other suitor due to strained relations between the two teams, Faez and Kirkland report.

Mbappe nearly joined Real Madrid on a free transfer last season before agreeing to his current contact. Los Blancos also made several attempts to sign him in 2021, with their highest bid reaching around €200 million.

Real Madrid are in need of a new striker after Karim Benzema’s departure to Saudi Arabia. The club had reportedly planned to target Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane this summer, but Faez and Kirkland note there are concerns over paying a high transfer fee for a player who turns 30 in July.

French superstar Kylian Mbappe informed Paris Saint-Germain in a letter on Monday that he intends to decline the one-year player option in his contract and leave the club as a free agent when it expires in June 2024, a source told The New York Times’ Tariq Panja.

The surprising development raises the possibility of the club selling him as soon as this summer.

PSG are adamant they won’t lose the 24-year-old for nothing next year, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reports, leaving them with no choice but to sell him in the coming months if they can’t reach a swift agreement over a new and improved contract.

The one-year option would have extended his stay until June 2025.

PSG had spent the past few months negotiating a new contract for Mbappe, according to Panja. Their bargaining position is considerably weaker, given clubs know they can sign the World Cup winner next summer without paying a transfer fee.

The letter – which French media reportedly obtained before the club itself – contained written notice of Mbappe’s decision. He had until July 31 to take up the option.

PSG almost lost their star striker on a free transfer to Real Madrid last summer following the expiration of his previous deal. With the help of French President Emmanuel Macron, who urged Mbappe in a private call to stay, PSG managed to tie him down for another two years. The club reportedly agreed to pay Mbappe around $25 million annually on top of the $125-million signing bonus he received upfront.

Now, PSG will have to sweeten the pot even more if they hope to keep him long term.

Monday’s report could encourage Madrid to make another bid for Mbappe in the upcoming transfer window, which opens in France on July 1 and in Spain on July 3. Madrid are looking for a striker to replace 2022 Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, who recently left the club for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad.

PSG paid AS Monaco a reported $216 million to sign Mbappe in a permanent deal in 2018. He’s since become Les Parisiens’ all-time leading scorer with 212 goals in 260 appearances.