PSG Transfer News Roundup Neymar wants to stay; Francesco Totti heaps praise on Marco Verratti, and more - 26 May 2022
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) managed a coup by convincing Kylian Mbappe to stay at the club. The Parisians will now look to bolster their squad over the summer.
Meanwhile, Neymar has said that he wants to stay at the Parc des Princes. Elsewhere, Francesco Totti has heaped praise on Marco Verratti. On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on 26 May 2022:
Neymar wants to stay at PSG
Neymar has expressed a desire to stay at the Parisians beyond the summer. The Brazilian’s future at the club is up in the air after a less than impressive 2021-22 season. He has managed just 28 appearances this season, scoring 13 goals.
The Parisians moved mountains to keep Kylian Mbappe in Paris, leading to speculation that Neymar could be offloaded to balance the books. However, speaking to 'Oh My Goal', the Brazilian said that there were no plans for him to leave this summer.
“It's really true on my side that I want to stay. Nobody has told me anything, but on my side, it's pretty clear I want to stay,” said Neymar.
Francesco Totti heaps praise on Marco Verratti
AS Roma legend Francesco Totti has revealed his admiration for compatriot Marco Verratti. The PSG midfielder has been one of the stars of the show in Paris since arriving at the club a decade ago.
‘He Is a Really Great Player’ — Totti Shares Strong Words on PSG Midfielder Verratti psgtalk.com/2022/05/he-is-…
Speaking to RMC Sport, Totti said that he always knew Verratti was destined for greatness.
“Already, when he was playing in Pescara, we could see that he would become a great player. At PSG, he exploded with all these great players. For me, he is really a great player,” said Totti.
Verratti recorded two goals and as many assists in 24 games in the Parisians' victorious Ligue 1 campaign.
Thierry Henry opens up on Kylian Mbappe’s decision to stay at Parc des Princes
Thierry Henry has given his verdict on Kylian Mbappe’s decision to stay at PSG. The French forward was very close to joining Real Madrid but ended up signing a new contract with the Parisians last week.
Speaking recently (The Daily Mail via PSG Talk), Henry said that Mbappe’s decision to stay was based on his love for the French giants.
“Obviously, Kylian decided to stay. It’s massive for French football. I thought he was going to go; I think everyone thought he was going to go, even including himself. I think he changed his mind. … He has the club, obviously, in his heart. People will talk about what he’s going to get in terms of money and power,” said Henry.
He continued:
“But … money would have come anywhere, anyhow, wherever he went, but he wanted to stay. So in France, everybody, everybody was happy because, as a team, if you want to be successful, you can’t let that guy go. If you let that guy go, you’re not going to get a guy like that around the corner.”
Thierry Henry on Kylian Mbappé's new contract at PSG:
"It’s huge for French football, I thought he was going to leave, I think everyone thought he was going to leave, including him." (Goal)
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Henry added that it was imperative for the club and country that Mbappe stayed in Paris.
“It’s massive for France as they defend their World Cup. Right now, the national team is where it should be and what we have achieved in the past also. Where we do struggle is at the club level. We don’t often win in Europe,” said Henry.
He continued:
“If you lose a guy like Kylian, it would be a bit tough for PSG to win one. But thankfully, he stayed. … French football, in terms of the national team, is at its highest, but it was vital for PSG and for Paris and for French football that Kylian stayed.”