‘All parties are protected’ was a sentence that raised many an eyebrow in the Spanish capital. Kylian Mbappe said it on Wednesday evening after being asked about his future, something he has not yet decided. However with Real Madrid feeling that Mbappe will have to play by their rules in order for them to sign him, it did not exactly speak to someone trying to win them over.

According to Diario AS, the Paris Saint-Germain forward is referring to an agreement with the club regarding his signing on bonus. The French side are struggling with financial fairplay, and if Mbappe had left on a free, it would have meant a significant setback in their ability to operate in the transfer market this summer. Hence, CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi was keen to lock him into a new deal, even if it meant inserting a release clause.

The agreement Mbappe has with PSG leaves the situation open though. If Mbappe does not sign a new deal with PSG, then he will pardon €80m in a signing bonus, letting them out of a tight spot financially. It means that Al-Khelaifi and PSG will try to renew his deal, but will not move aggressively to pressure him on the understanding that he will leave behind that money should the 25-year-old head to Real Madrid.

If, as reported, Real Madrid have given Mbappe a deadline by which to accept their deal, then it leaves him in a tricky situation. It seems unlikely they would be able to keep it a secret, but if Mbappe signs with Real Madrid, then he will no doubt face a backlash from the PSG fans, and disrupt their chances of success this season. The alternative is once again testing Real Madrid’s patience, and risking that they pull out of the deal.