La Liga president Javier Tebas: ‘Ligue 1 needs to work more on its brand.’ | OneFootball

Javier Tebas has said that Ligue 1 “needs to work on its brand” amidst fears of the damage that Kylian Mbappé’s (25) departure could do to France’s top-flight.

Mbappé’s deparutre from Paris Saint-Germain is now inevitable. The France captain informed club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi that he would leave upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season. Speaking to L’Équipe, La Liga president Tebas has said that there is a “99% chance” that Mbappé will join Real Madrid this summer, in what he has described as “good news” for Spanish football.

However, it isn’t good news for Ligue 1. Just one year after losing Neymar and Lionel Messi, France’s top-flight now looks set to lose its poster boy and all that amidst the LFP’s (Ligue Foot Professionel) unsuccessful attempts to garner a €1bn fee for the division’s broadcasting rights. No bids were received for the broadcasting rights when they were auctioned earlier this season. The LFP is now negotiating individually with broadcasters in order to garner the highest fee.

“Despite all its defaults, PSG has created a brand over the past 10 years. As for Ligue 1, it needs to work more on its brand. In the short-term, Mbappé’s departure isn’t good news, but the LFP’s strategy should be weighted on the medium and long term,” Tebas told L’Équipe.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle