PSG chairman says Mbappe ‘has no reason’ to leave club after Messi arrival
(FILES) In this file photograph taken on April 28, 2021, Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe reacts during the UEFA Champions League first leg semi-final football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. – Kylian Mbappe is a doubt for Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City on May 4, 2021, according to coach Mauricio Pochettino. Mbappe missed PSG’s 2-1 win over Lens in Ligue 1 at the weekend with a calf problem but was included in the squad that travelled to Manchester. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser al-Khelaifi said on Wednesday forward Kylian Mbappe has “no reason” to leave the club after Lionel Messi signed a two-year deal with the French side.
Mbappe is in the final year of his contract and has been linked with a move away from PSG with Real Madrid interested in the 2018 World Cup winner.
“Kylian is a Parisian, he’s very competitive. He said he wanted a competitive team,” Al-Khelaifi said.
“Now there’s no-one more competitive than us. He has no reason to do anything else,” other than stay, he added.
In May the 22-year-old told broadcaster Canal Plus he wanted to be in a place where he “could really win, where there is a solid project.”
Mbappe is yet to sign a new deal at the Parc des Princes, unlike Neymar, whose recently-agreed contract runs until 2025.
The France forward is set to team up in the Paris attack with Neymar and Messi but the Argentina international is unlikely to make his debut in this weekend’s league game with Strasbourg.
Messi has undertaken next to no pre-season after winning the Copa America on July 11.
