PSG Transfer News Roundup: Lionel Messi accused of being disconnected; Kylian Mbappe doesn't need to be convinced to stay, and more - March 11, 2023
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are preparing to face Brest at the Stade Francis-Le Ble on Saturday (March 11) in Ligue 1. The French champions are leading the league after 26 games.
Meanwhile, pundit Ricardo Rosety reckons Lionel Messi has been disconnected from the Parisians squad since the World Cup. Elsewhere, Parisians manager Christophe Galtier has said that Kylian Mbappe doesn’t need to be convinced to stay in Paris.
On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on March 11, 2023:
Lionel Messi accused of being disconnected
Ricardo Rosety believes Lionel Messi has lost his appetite since helping Argentina win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner ran riot at Qatar last December, getting his hands on the prestigious trophy. He was adjudged the Player of the Tournament, winning his second World Cup Golden Ball, for bagging seven goals and three assists in seven games.
Messi has also been prolific for PSG this season but failed to get the Ligue 1 champions over the line in the UEFA Champions League. The Parisians surrendered rather meekly to Bayern Munich in the Round of 16 over two legs, despite the presence of the Argentinian legend in their ranks.
Speaking on Marca Radio, as cited by PSG Talk, Rosety pointed out that the Argentinean was not in his element against the Bavarians.
“Maybe at PSG, what is happening at Madrid with the galacticos, when Florentino left, said he had been rude to them. We always focus on one player or another, but what failed yesterday was the team. The only one who rebelled was Sergio Ramos. Messi did not appear as he was expected. Messi’s main goal was the World Cup, and now he is a bit disconnected,” said Rosety.
Messi has registered 18 goals and 16 assists in 30 games across competitions for the French giants this season.
Kylian Mbappe doesn't need to be convinced to stay at PSG, says Galtier
Christophe Galtier reckons Kylian Mbappe will stay at the Parc des Princes. The French forward continues to be linked with a move away from PSG, despite only signing a new deal last summer. His cryptic response to questions about his future after the defeat to Bayern Munich has only added to speculation regarding his next move.
However, speaking after the game, Galtier said that the 24-year-old is determined to succeed with the Ligue 1 champions.
“I don’t have to try to convince Kylian Mbappé. Any player would have been in the same condition (Mbappe's) post-match statement. Kylian is a Paris Saint-Germain player who shows it in every game and has a great determination to succeed and bring the club as high as possible,” said Galtier.
Mbappe has appeared 31 times across competitions this season for the Parisians, amassing 30 goals and eight assists.
Tim Vickery worried about Neymar future
South American football expert Tim Vickery believes clubs will be wary of investing in Neymar. The Brazilian is largely expected to leave PSG at the end of the season. The 31-year-old is sidelined for the rest of the season with an ankle injury.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Vickery said that he's concerned for Neymar.
“It is worrying, isn’t it? I am concerned for his future. If they go out of the Champions League, you kind of expect the end of an era at PSG. The end of the Mbappe, Messi and Neymar era, where Neymar kind of got overtaken by Mbappe in the whole project. It hasn’t really worked out for him anyway and with these recurrent ankle injuries, you wonder what his future is,” said Vickery.
Chelsea have been heavily linked with the Brazilian recently, but Vickery reckons the Blues might distance themselves from Neymar due to his injury record.
“There has been a lot of talk of him perhaps moving to the Premier League with Chelsea. Is anyone really going to pay big money for him with his injury record, especially in a league as physically intense as the Premier League? So I am a little bit worried about what the future holds for him,” said Vickery.
The 31-year-old has played 29 games across competitions for the Parisians this season, scoring 18 goals and setting up 17.