(Reuters) -Kylian Mbappe was reinstated into Paris St Germain’s first team on Sunday, a day after being omitted for the Ligue 1 season opener against Lorient and reportedly being frozen out of the main squad for weeks amid an ongoing contract stand-off.
PSG began their title defence at home to Lorient on Saturday, with Mbappe watching the goalless draw from the stands alongside new signing and fellow World Cup winner Ousmane Dembele, who had completed his transfer to Paris earlier in the day.
Relations between Mbappe and PSG have been tense since the France captain said he would not renew his contract, which expires at the end of the 2023-24 season when he could leave Paris for free.
“Following very constructive, positive talks between PSG and Kylian Mbappe before the game vs Lorient, the player has been reinstated into the first-team training squad this morning,” PSG said in a statement.
Mbappe, 24, was also left out of PSG’s squad for last month’s pre-season tour of Asia. He has been one of several players tipped to leave the Parc des Princes in the transfer window, which closes on Sept. 1.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has said they will not let Mbappe go on a free transfer after the club spent 180 million euros ($196.99 million) to sign him.
Before the Lorient game, manager Luis Enrique said he hoped PSG could find a resolution to the dispute with Mbappe, noting that the club had prior experience in resolving contract issues with the striker.
Mbappe, who has finished as Ligue 1’s top scorer in the last five seasons, was also set to leave on a free transfer at the end of the 2021-22 campaign. He signed a contract extension last year after PSG rejected a bid from Real Madrid.
PSG return to Ligue 1 action against Toulouse on Saturday.
($1 = 0.9137 euros)
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad and Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
