It is fair to say this will not be a season that Kylian Mbappe forgets in a hurry.
The French striker has just won his fourth Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain, secured the top goalscorer's award and also topped the charts for providing the most assists.
But Mbappe has also just signed a mind-blowing new deal with PSG – turning down the chance to join Spanish giants Real Madrid in the process – that has seen him earn a reported signing-on fee of €150 million ($159m).
It means Mbappe, 23, has signed on for another three years in the French capital where he will continue to play alongside other galacticos such as Neymar and Lionel Messi.
“It was a tough decision," Mbappe said in a press conference on Monday. “Football was my refuge. It is what I know. I wanted to take my time to make the best decision – my choice.
“You don't need special responsibility to be invested in this project.
“I know how important it is to stay in my country, I have always lived here. I grew up here, leaving would have been difficult.
“I made the decision last week; I didn't tell my teammates because the club didn't want me to. We wanted to keep it a secret for the surprise, although there aren't many surprises.
"I have always lived here and leaving my country isn't the right thing. There is a sentimental aspect to this. It is my country.
"The ongoing project has changed as well. That has made me want to stay here because I don't think my story is over yet. That goes for collectively and individually. I think there are many more wonderful chapters to write."
“I have respect for Real Madrid and [president] Florentino Perez,” he added. “They did everything for me and tried to make me very happy, that's why I had to call him personally, we’ve a close relationship I just decided for myself and I made the best decision.”
You can see the list of top goalscorers and goal providers from the 2021/22 Ligue 1 season in the gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or if using a mobile device, simply swipe.
