Soccer
PSG president claims his club vows to do everything to keep Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi this Summer
Nasser Al Khelaifi has claimed his club Paris Saint Germain will do anything to keep both Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi this summer.
Messi has been widely connected with a comeback to Barcelona prior to the summer transfer window, while Mbappe has been linked with a transfer to Real Madrid. Both individuals have been linked with moves away from Parc des Princes following another season of Champions League failure for PSG, but Al-Khelaifi has sworn that the club would do all necessary to keep Messi and Mbappe in Paris for at least another year.
Al-Khelaifi stated that PSG had the resources and motivation to keep Mbappe and Messi on the squad next season. Speaking with Spanish outlet Marca, Khelaifi revealed, “We are lucky to have some of the best players in the world, who wanted to play for PSG despite receiving offers from other clubs.”
PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi on the contracts of Leo Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Sergio Ramos: “We are working to keep all of them”, told Marca 🔴🔵 #PSG
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 24, 2023
“We are going to analyze what we are doing, how to make sure that we can continue. We won’t make mistakes”. pic.twitter.com/TtiNjA9dbH
“We are working to keep them going. We are going to analyze what we are doing and make sure we can continue with them; we want to do things accordingly. We are not going to make mistakes.”
Why are Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe close to leaving?
Lionel Messi is yet to sign a contract extension with his current club Paris Saint Germain. His previous contract expires this summer. Messi and his camp did have a verbal agreement to continue in Paris but the Argentine had a change of heart after winning the World Cup last year.
The most likely destination reportedly for Messi’s next club is Barcelona. Messi has additionally been linked with MLS side Inter Miami and also Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. But many Barcelona players like Ter Stegan, Ronald Araujo, and Sergi Roberto keep speaking of a Messi move openly. It seems the Catalan club will be the ideal transfer for the Argentine.
Barca president, Joan Laporta, is reportedly preparing to offer Messi a very low salary to properly register him, and the club may organize a tribute match in which Messi would receive all of the earnings. This could amount to €100 million. They could also give him all of his merchandise earnings which could be around €200 million.
Mbappe’s future is also uncertain, despite signing a lucrative new deal last summer, although Real Madrid is reportedly prioritizing a move for Manchester City’s Erling Haaland above the Frenchman. Previously, La Liga president Javier Tebas stated that he would want to see the French superstar in the Spanish La Liga one day, with Real Madrid being the only team in the league with a genuine chance of signing him.
Other stars that could leave include Sergio Ramos and Neymar Jr. The club is under pressure from UEFA to reduce its wage bill amid threats of sanctions. PSG’s super team is about to be skimmed down.
