PSG Transfer News Roundup: Toby Alderweireld gives verdict on Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate; Parisians receive boost in pursuit of Chelsea midfielder, and more - October 5, 2022

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will travel to the Estadio da Luz on Wednesday (October 5) to face Benfica on matchday three of the UEFA Champions League. Both teams have won their opening two games.

Meanwhile, former Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld has given his verdict on the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate. Elsewhere, the Parisians have received a boost in their pursuit of a Chelsea midfielder.

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On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on October 5, 2022:

Toby Alderweireld gives verdict on Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate

Lionel Messi has been on fire for club and country this year.

Toby Alderweireld has rated Lionel Messi higher than Cristiano Ronaldo. The Argentinean has been on a roll for PSG this season, while his arch-rival has endured a difficult season with Manchester United. The two have dominated world football for almost two decades and continue to divide opinions.

Speaking on his WTTAA podcast, as cited by The Mirror, Alderweireld recalled feeling helpless when defending against Messi.

“Messi. I usually read the play on the field, and often I succeed. But Messi ... ooh. One night at Wembley when we lost 4-2 against Barcelona (with Tottenham ) he was unprecedented. ... really unprecedented. You can’t get a grip on him. Everything he does, he does it just that little faster than you," said Alderweireld.

He continued:

"He does this, then he does that; it goes so fast. I really had a feeling I couldn’t do anything against him. You try to get in duels with him. He looks like a slender guy so you try to get physical. But he’s not slender at all, if you look at his thighs you think ... wow. He is so fast. The quality, the ball control, It's not normal."

The Belgian went on to acknowledge Ronaldo's numbers but added that Messi was his toughest opponent.

"I played against Ronaldo many times. Of course, his numbers don’t lie, but Messi was the best, because he is simply elusive. You can’t get hold of him," said Alderweireld.

Messi has seven goals and eight assists from 12 games across competitions this season.

PSG receive boost in N'Golo Kante pursuit

PSG have received a boost in their pursuit of N'Golo Kante. According to The Metro, Kante has turned down Chelsea's recent contract proposal, as he wants a long-term deal.

The Frenchman is in the final year of his deal, and the Blues have offered him a two-year contract. However, the 31-year-old has turned it down, as he wants a four-year deal similar to the one offered to Kalidou Koulibaly.

Chelsea at risk of losing N'Golo Kante for free next summer as talks over a new contract stall, with French midfielder wanting a four-year deal and Paris Saint-Germain monitoring the situation.

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The Parisians are monitoring the situation with interest. The Ligue 1 giants are long-term admirers of the player and want to take him to Paris should he be available next year. The French champions are willing to offer him a contract of his choice if he moves to the Parc des Princes.

Christophe Galtier hints at change in attacking tactics at PSG

Christophe Galtier has hinted that he could revisit the 3-4-1-2 setup he used during the start of the season. The French manager recently moved to the 3-4-2-1 formation, with Kylian Mbappe operating as the lone striker.

However, speaking to the press, Galtier also said that his formation will depend on the way the opponents get the ball out.

“We played like that during the preparation, and in other games, yes. But it has to do with the way the opponents get the ball out and our desire to frustrate their early runs. This has some advantages but also disadvantages. Our two midfielders are very quickly isolated once the ones in front are eliminated. We always evolve based on how we get the ball out of the opponent,” said Galtier.

Galtier could opt to switch his tactics against Benfica.