"The priority is there" - PSG urged to sell one of Messi, Neymar and Mbappe by former star
Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) winger Jerome Rothen has urged the club to sell one of Neymar Jr. and Lionel Messi and build a team around Kylian Mbappe.
The Argentina icon is, for many, the greatest player in the history of the sport. But at the age of 35, Messi cannot keep playing at the top level forever.
His current contract at the Parc des Princes expires this summer, after which he could leave as a free agent. Neymar, meanwhile, sees his current deal run until the end of the 2024-25 season.
However, it has been claimed that PSG have offered the 31-year-old to Chelsea, with Newcastle United and Barcelona also interested. Rothen believes Les Parisiens are better off breaking up the trio.
On this, he told RMC Sport:
Lionel Messi's technique on his match winning free kick for PSG at the weekend 🤯 https://t.co/Wln7DZ9khD
"Should we break up the MNM? The priority is there. The priority is to separate at least one, speaking of Lionel Messi and Neymar because of course I'm not targeting Kylian Mbappé.
"It would even be tragic for Paris Saint-Germain if Kylian decides to go elsewhere because his contract still allows him a lot of things."
The trio of Neymar, Messi, and Mbappe have racked up a staggering combined tally of 61 goals and 37 assists in 86 games across competitions this season. They are arguably the most potent attacking trio in world football.
However, fingers have been pointed at their contributions at the other end of the pitch. PSG have, at times, looked lightweight in midfield and defense when on the backfoot due to the trio's alleged lack of defending.
It doesn't matter who, but PSG selling any one of them will be a headline-grabbing transfer regardless of which club they join.
Former PSG player labels Lionel Messi transfer a failure
Lionel Messi's first year at Paris Saint-Germain wasn't quite impressive. He raked in 15 assists in the league but scored just six times in 26 Ligue 1 matches that season.
Le coup franc 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲́𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘂𝗿 signé Leo Messi ! 💫⚽️
#PSGLOSC https://t.co/kwmL8cfMeB
The Argentine has improved significantly in that aspect, scoring 10 times and providing 11 assists in 19 league games so far this term. Nevertheless, Jeremy Rothen feels that signing him from Barcelona was a mistake.
He said, via the aforementioned source:
"Most certainly he feels a bit orphaned by Barcelona. Even if he says that in his life today it has improved, it does not you can't see on the pitch. It can't be seen, there's no particular fulfillment on the pitch apart from maybe the free kick at the last second against Lille.
"I'm totally in the direction of the club today. Luis Campos must take responsibility, admit that the arrival of Lionel Messi was not necessarily a good thing and that it was a failure."