Mauricio Pochettino comments on Kylian Mbappe's PSG future amid Lionel Messi links
Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino has cleared the air on Kylian Mbappe's future amid the Parisians' reported interest in Lionel Messi. According to the tactician, signing the Argentine superstar will have no bearing on Mbappe's continuity.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of his side's Ligue 1 opener against Troyes, the PSG boss said:
''I have not spoken with Messi. And [any move] would not mean that Kylian would leave. A player of Messi's caliber, that is what is interesting to me. The club is working on the transfer window and on the elements that could come in to improve the team and allow us to achieve our goals."
Paris Saint-Germain have been named as one of the most likely options to be Lionel Messi's next club. The attacker has parted ways with Barcelona this summer as Blaugrana couldn't tie him to a new deal due to their financial constraints.
It should be recalled that Barcelona have spent the whole summer trying to offload a number of their players to raise funds and reduce the financial burden on the club. After trying hard but to no avail, and with La Liga's wage cap policy in place, the Catalan giants gave up hope of keeping Lionel Messi at Camp Nou.
Could Lionel Messi join Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain?
It is still unclear what plans Lionel Messi has after leaving Barcelona this summer. Although Paris Saint-Germain remain confident over their chances of securing his services this summer, the Argentine has numerous options and will surely take his time before making a decision. Manchester City, Inter Milan and Chelsea are also said to be monitoring the situation.
Mathematically, it isn't game over for Barcelona yet. The club acknowledged that both parties wanted to continue their relationship but could not as a result of the wage cap policy put in place by La Liga.
The association is currently under intense pressure as it's about to lose its most marketable figure. There's a possibility that a U-turn could be reached in the coming days regarding the policy, which could end up clearing the way for Barcelona to register Lionel Messi.