"I speak with him regularly" - Didier Deschamps on what PSG star Kylian Mbappe needs to do to get over 'difficult period' in club football
France manager Didier Deschamps has backed Kylian Mbappe amid a struggling spell for the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar.
Mbappe is without a goal or an assist in his last four games across competitions for the Parisians. He was particularly poor in the Ligue 1 giants' shock 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United in Group F of the UEFA Champions League earlier this month.
The France captain will be on international duty this week when Les Bleus face the Netherlands tomorrow (October 13) and Scotland five days later. Deschamps insists the 24-year-old has the right mindset to get out of his current slump (via GOAL):
"His difficult period? I speak with him regularly. Kylian needs tranquillity. He is here. He will be part of the team tomorrow, which will have a specific objective. Everyone speaks about him a lot, but he can fend for himself. He is devoted to the collective [effort], and he isn’t here wanting to take everything."
Mbappe has an opportunity to bounce back into form with France who are closing in on qualifying for Euro 2024. He's enjoyed a superb qualifying campaign, bagging four goals and two assists in five games.
The six-time Ligue 1 champion did make a promising start to PSG's season before his recent struggles. He's scored eight goals in nine games across competitions for Luis Enrique's side.
Kylian Mbappe reportedly set to make a decision on his PSG future after their Champions League campaign
According to L'Equipe, Mbappe won't be making a decision over potentially extending his Parisian contract until after the Ligue 1 giants' Champions League campaign is completed.
The French superstar has just under eight months left on his contract with PSG and spent the majority of the summer linked with a departure. He informed the club that he wasn't going to trigger the one-year extension in his current deal.
Mbappe was then sent to a squad of undesirables as the Parisians looked to move him on due to his refusal to commit his future. However, positive talks were held and he was reinstated into Enrique's first team.
Despite this, the former AS Monaco striker is still being linked with a move to finally join Real Madrid. A decision over his future is unlikely to take place before their Champions League campaign ends.
A financial agreement was reached during talks in the summer that may include an agreement to forego several lucrative bonuses linked to him remaining at the club. He's been at the Parc des Princes since 2018 and has become PSG's all-time top goalscorer in that time.