5 PSG stars who have suffered since Lionel Messi's arrival

PSG finally signed Lionel Messi during the summer transfer window after several months of dreaming of having the six-time Ballon d'Or winner on their side. The Argentine ended his 21-year spell with Barcelona by switching to the Parc des Princes.

PSG signed Messi on a free transfer as he had to leave Barcelona due to La Liga's financial rules. He signed a two-year contract that will keep him in France until 2023.

With Lionel Messi in their ranks, PSG can boast of having arguably the greatest footballer in history donning their jersey. It goes without mentioning that the Argentine's arrival has come as a big boost to the Parisians' chances of winning the Champions League. This is a trophy they have been desperate to win in recent times.

Leo's presence has come as a huge blessing to PSG. But it is worth noting that it has also had adverse effects on a couple of players at the Parc des Princes. The five players highlighted below have suffered since the Argentine arrived in the French capital this summer.

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#5 Julian Draxler

The German has made just five starts for PSG this season

For a man who made 34 appearances for PSG last season, Julian Draxler could've been hoping for more involvement this term. However, the German has seen himself go down in the pecking order following the arrival of Lionel Messi this season.

Draxler has made just five starts for PSG so far during the campaign, recording two goals and two assists to his name. Obviously, he wouldn't have had as many opportunities if Neymar was fully fit over the last couple of weeks.

The German's situation will likely get worse when the attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar finally takes off in the coming weeks. It certainly won't be a surprise if the attacker is offloaded in the upcoming transfer window.

#4 Mauro Icardi

Icardi lost his place in the starting line-up following Lionel Messi's arrival

The striker lost his place in the starting lineup immediately after Lionel Messi arrived at PSG this summer. The former Barcelona playmaker took up a spot on the right wing of the attack. So Mauro Icardi was forced to relinquish the central role to Kylian Mbappe.

Icardi has made 12 appearances for PSG across all competitions this season. But he's played from the start in just half of them, completing 90 minutes four times. Ironically, the striker has bagged three Ligue 1 goals so far and Lionel Messi is yet to score in the division. Yet, the latter is the ultimate choice to start every league game.

#3 Angel Di Maria

The Argentine continues playing catch-up to Lionel Messi at PSG

Angel Di Maria was very happy to link up with Lionel Messi at PSG this summer. It was a dream come true for the attacker. But it has also cost him some significant minutes of playing time and will likely cost more as time goes on.

The former Real Madrid winger has played catch-up to his Argentina colleague since they linked up this season. Di Maria has played a total of eight games for the Parisians across all competitions so far. Five of them came from playing as a substitute for Lionel Messi on the right flank or filling up for him when he was unavailable.

The former Manchester United forward has also outperformed Leo in Ligue 1 this term, with two goals and three assists to his name. Yet the latter continues to be deployed as the undisputed starter in the league.

#2 Achraf Hakimi

A lot of work for Hakimi behind Lionel Messi on the right wing

Lionel Messi's presence has put a big workload on Achraf Hakimi on the right wing of the pitch. It goes without saying that the Argentine doesn't offer much defensively. That means the full-back is required to work more than he normally should in order to make up for that.

Besides, when Leo attacks, he often leaves spaces behind which can be exploited by opposition attackers. The 22-year-old has been the one helping to cover those grounds, extending his work rate and putting more pressure on him.

Meanwhile, Achraf Hakimi has been one of the standout performers in PSG's team this season. The Morocco international has made 15 appearances across all competitions so far, recording three goals and two assists to his name.

#1 Kylian Mbappe

The Frenchman has carried the goalscoring burden all on his own several times, especially in Ligue 1

Kylian Mbappe had to sacrifice his favored spot on the right wing of the attack to accommodate Lionel Messi upon his arrival at PSG this summer. The Frenchman now plays a central role, displacing Mauro Icardi from the starting lineup.

Despite that, Mbappe has had to carry the goalscoring responsibility on his own several times this season. This is because both Messi and Neymar have failed to step up.

Leo is yet to score in Ligue 1 while Neymar has just one effort to his name. In the Champions League, the Argentine has scored thrice while his Brazilian counterpart has none to his name.

Meanwhile, Mbappe has scored five times in Ligue 1 and once in the Champions League. The Frenchman has also recorded four assists to his name in each competition, raising his goal contribution to 14 so far during the campaign.