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Kylian Mbappe has reportedly been dethroned as the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player with the most jerseys sold this season. Despite his immense popularity among French fans, Mbappe ranks second in the PSG squad when it comes to shirts sold this term, with Lee Kang-in finishing above him.
Following the combined departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar this summer, Kylian Mbappe was expected to take the reins in Paris on all fronts. However, a report from French journalist Abdellah Boulma revealed that he has fallen short in the overseas popularity department.
According to Boulma (via SPORT), Lee Kang-in has comfortably taken the position of the PSG player with the most shirts sold worldwide. The former Valencia midfielder is a household name in South Korea, with 70% of the jerseys sold in his home nation bearing his name at the back.
Lee Kang-in's immense popularity in South Korea first came to light when PSG opened an official store in Seoul after securing his signature. Fans flocked in huge numbers to buy merchandise from the shop, creating miles-long queues in the process.
Sebastien Wasels, the CEO of PSG, acknowledged Lee Kang-in's influence as he said:
"It will allow us to expand in South Korea and throughout Asia. He is the first great Asian player to play for PSG."
Lee, however, is still behind Lionel Messi in this aspect, with the Argentinian maestro selling more than 830,000 shirts in the first 24 hours after his signing. Messi's said merchandise sale bagged the French club in excess of 100 million euros, making his signing a profitable venture for the Parisians.
Kylian Mbappe is considering leaving PSG next summer
The neverending saga of Kylian Mbappe's proposed move to Real Madrid is far from nearing a conclusion, as per multiple reports. According to Marca reporter Jose Felix Diaz, PSG are are offering their star player a contract extension.
Kylian Mbappe, on the other hand, appears to be adamant about leaving Paris next summer. Therefore, all things point toward him turning down the proposed renewal plan. Meanwhile, Real Madrid remain unconvinced of his commitment after having rejected a move to Spain multiple times in the past.
Consequently, Kylian Mbappe continues his tenure with PSG, who have had a rocky start to the ongoing season. Luis Enrique's men have only accumulated 15 points in eight Ligue 1 matches, placing them third in the standings.
