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Nasser Al-Khelaifi backs PSG to be 'great' as Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe era comes to an end

PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi has said that he expects his club to be great even after the exits of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi. The French champions have lost their three major attacking stars across the summers of 2023 and 2024 after Mbappe's decision to leave at the end of the 2023-24 season.

Backed by the Qatari state, French giants PSG have spent big dollars to assemble some of the world's finest players over the years. They have had the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Buffon, Edinson Cavani and others on their books in the last decade.

Their single-biggest spending came in the summer of 2017, when Neymar joined for a world-record €222 million, while Kylian Mbappe joined shortly after. The Frenchman joined on loan with an obligation to buy for around €180 million in the next summer.

PSG dominated French football but failed to do the same in Europe, prompting them to sign Lionel Messi on hefty wages in the summe of 2021. The Argentine great joined Neymar and Mbappe, but the trio failed to achieve European dominance in their two seasons together.

Messi left for free in 2023, joining MLS outfit Inter Miami, while Neymar left in the same transfer window for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.

Mbappe has now confirmed to leave Les Parisiens at the end of his contract, but El-Khelaifi told his peers at a European Club Association meeting that he feels good about the new state of things at the club, via RMC Sport.

“This is a new era for us; we are very grateful to Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe for everything they have given to the club. With all due respect to them and for what they have done for the club, I wish them the best in their new challenges; but as a club, the star is the collective. PSG is focusing on the collective, on having a great team with a great coach, which we have.”

PSG reached the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League this season, falling 2-0 on aggregate to a spirited Borussia Dortmund side. The French giants will be hopeful of rebuilding their squad to be the best in Europe.


PSG legend Kylian Mbappe's Real Madrid switch confirmed - Reports

For months, PSG have been aware that star forward Kylian Mbappe was set to leave at the end of the campaign. The Frenchman was a target for Real Madrid, who failed with a bid for him in 2022.

Following the UEFA Champions League final, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Mbappe will join the Spanish giants in this summer. Real Madrid will make an announcement of the transfer in the coming weeks, and the player will resume duties after the Euros next month.

Kylian Mbappe is set to receive over €100 million as his signing-on fee, with the sum set to be spread over a five-year period. The French superstar will join an exciting team at the Santiago Bernabeu and try to extend their dominance of European football.

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