Leonardo Araujo, PSG sports director, has been the main protagonist of the magazine France Football This week. The Brazilian gave an interview in which he reviewed the news of the Parisian team, ensuring that there is no team that can currently pay Neymar or Mbappé's salary. “Choosing between Neymar or Mbappé for next season? It is true that the situation is very complicated, but if PSG does not have the means right now to be able to keep its two stars, which team has financial means to pay the salary to either of the two players? I think there is no team “, stressed the sports director.
These statements by Leonardo open the doors to a possible departure of Mbappé from PSG and, therefore, to a potential incorporation of the forward to Real Madrid in the next transfer market. In fact, the white team is already prepared for 'Operation Mbappé'. The club with making cash with several players in the next summer and obtaining between 100 and 150 million. They are Isco, Ceballos, Bale, Jovic, Marcelo or Brahim. The remaining money (the Real Madrid board estimates that PSG could ask for around the 222 million euros it paid for Neymar) from the transfer will be financed with a loan.
On the other hand, the arrival of Pochettino to the PSG bench has been another unknown in the future of Mbappé. One of the first requests of the Argentine coach was the signing of Messi, according to French media. In addition, Pochettino intends to join Leo with Agüero up front, as reported by Canal Plus France. These signings would make PSG have to lighten the salaries of its players to find the salary balance and not be threatened by the Financial Fair Play. This would be another step for the departure of Mbappé, who is one of the highest paid players in the squad.
Mbappé has shown his dissatisfaction on several occasions when he was substituted in the matches and this was demonstrated last weekend in the match against Angers. Pochettino replaced him in the 79th minute with 0-1 on the scoreboard and the French forward made him see his coach. These attitudes, added to Leonardo's latest statements, mean that in the Real Madrid raise hopes of getting so longed-for signing.
Messi Plan
Regarding Messi, of whom he assures that a player of such caliber is always on the list of future prospects for PSG, Leonardo was asked about the possibility of signing him to satisfy Neymar: “If we start to think about making our next team based on the desire of the players, we have the risk of beginning to look like an uncompetitive team and a team of friends. What we want is to strengthen our team to make it as competitive as possible.”
“Great players like Messi will always remain on the list of future possibilities for PSG. But now is not the time to talk about this or to dream. Four months in the world of football is an eternity, especially in the current period. There will be time to talk about it, “Leonardo stressed about Messi.
The chances of seeing the Argentine star in Paris are minimal, but PSG is holding on to Neymar. The Brazilian assured several months ago that next season he would play alongside his friend and rumors about a possible signing of Messi by PSG have increased in recent months. However, the current Ligue 1 champion would have to balance his accounts to undertake an incorporation of such caliber.