PSG players vote for next club captain, Kylian Mbappe comes fourth - Report
Players of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have reportedly voted for their next club captain, with Kylian Mbappe finishing fourth in the process, according to RMC.
The 24-year-old French forward was in contention to take up the captaincy role for the ongoing 2023-24 football campaign. He also led the team last season.
Going by the result of the voting conducted by PSG players, Mbappe fell behind the likes of Marquinhos, Danilo Pereira, and Prinsel Kimpembe. The trio emerged first, second, and third, respectively.
Kylian Mbappe was recently recalled back to the PSG squad this season after he was previously frozen out from the first team by the club.
The 24-year-old Frenchman was involved in a transfer dispute with PSG, after informing the club of his decision to not extend his contract beyond this season.
In a swift response from the French giants, Mbappe was exiled from the first team and missed the club's pre-season tour. He was also forced to train with the fringe players and didn't take part in his side's Ligue 1 opener against Lorient.
He has been reinstated back into the team, but will now possibly miss out on the opportunity of being named club captain.
Brazilian defender Marquinhos is expected to retain his position as the skipper for Les Parisiens after coming in top position in the captaincy ratings. The 29-year-old has been the club's captain since September 2020, when he took over from fellow Brazilian teammate Thiago Silva.
Ousmane Dembele speaks on his decision to join PSG this summer
The French forward secured a big-money move to Parc des Princes from Spanish giants Barcelona this summer. The Ligue 1 giants activated his €50 million release clause to bring him back to France.
Dembele, 26, is now expected to form a new core of an exciting attacking set-up at Paris Saint-Germain under head coach Luis Enrique this season.
Following his return to his homeland, the French forward gave his reasons for deciding to join PSG. Dembele stated that his major aim is to win trophies with Les Parisiens.
He also highlighted the influence of Enrique and club sporting director Luis Campos in bringing him to the Parc des Princes. He said via [90mins]:
"I want to win trophies! To make the supporters and the city proud. It's exciting and I hope we'll do great things. I need to be ready and to do well from the off. I can't wait. I hope I'll soon win a first trophy with PSG."
"It's vital for a footballer to have the coach's [Luis Enrique] trust. I talked to the president [Nasser al-Khelaifi] as well, and the sporting director [Luis Campos], and I like the project they have here. I like the coach's playing style. We know that Luis Enrique likes attacking, possession-based football. That suits me perfectly," he added.
"As a Frenchman who grew up in Evreux, near Paris, I've always talked about PSG, and I decided it's the right moment to come to Paris and to play here in my homeland," Dembele concluded.