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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will lock horns with Rennes on Sunday (March 19) in Ligue 1. Christophe Galtier’s team are sitting comfortably atop the standings after 27 games, ten points ahead of second-placed Marseille.
Meanwhile, the Parisians have been advised to offload attacker Lionel Messi. Elsewhere, the French giants are interested in Manu Kone. On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on March 18, 2023:
PSG advised to offload Lionel Messi
Former PSG midfielder Eric Rabesandratana has advised the club not to renew Lionel Messi’s contract.
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The Argentinean’s contract with the Parisians expires at the end of the season, but he's yet to sign a new deal. The Parisians are working behind the scenes to extend the 35-year-old’s stay at the Parc des Princes, amid interest from Inter Miami and former club Barcelona.
Messi has enjoyed a stellar run with the Ligue 1 champions this season, but his future remains up in the air. Speaking recently, as cited by PSG Talk, Rabesandratana said that the Argentinean has failed to carry his determination from the 2022 FIFA World Cup to Paris.
“You have to be careful when talking about Lionel Messi. When you look at his statistics, it’s 65 matches for 29 goals and 31 assists. It is, therefore, decisive, as one might expect. He is within his standards. Now, at PSG, there is a project to win the Champions League. So, we observe more carefully these kinds of matches rather than a PSG-Rennes,” said Rabesandratana.
He added:
“At this level, we can therefore be disappointed with Lionel Messi. This is where we remain in our hunger. We do not feel great determination. We saw it with Argentina during the World Cup. Even though the whole team was playing for him, he was determined. We felt excitement.”
Rabesandratana admitted that Messi has improved since last season but is adamant that it;s not enough.
“It’s a little better than his first year (in Paris), but it’s not enough. We expect a lot more from Lionel Messi, apart from his statistics. An extension? QSI wants to extend it. But I think he is not part of the PSG project. We need more determined players,” said Rabesandratana.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has 18 goals and 17 assists in 31 games across competitions for the Ligue 1 champions this season.
Parisians eyeing Manu Kone
PSG are interested in Manu Kone, according to journalist Christian Falk. The 21-year-old has caught the eye with Borussia Monchengladbach this season, appearing 25 times and registering a goal and an assist apiece. His efforts have caught the attention of clubs across Europe, with the Parisians also keeping a close eye on the player.
In his column for Caught Offside, Falk said that Monchengladbach are resigned to losing him this summer.
“Manu Kone’s club, Gladbach, know that they will lose him this summer, unless something crazy happens. There are talks now between the sporting director, Roland Virkus, and Kone’s management, discussing how much would be on the table for selling him (crazy amounts like €40-50m),” said Falk.
He continued:
“PSG are interested. The player is French. We heard that Chelsea knocked on the door and have an interest in him. I don’t think he’s focused purely on one league, the most important thing for the player is focusing on the next step.”
Kone could be an option to eventually replace Marco Verratti at the Parc des Princes.
Christophe Galtier says his team are determined to win the league
Christophe Galtier reckons his team are fully focussed on securing their 11th Ligue 1 title. PSG have won the Trophee des Champions this season. However, they faltered in the UEFA Champions League and Coupe de France, exiting both tournaments in the Round of 16.
Speaking to the press, Galtier warned his players against complacency ahead of the business end of the season.
"It's not a question of motivation but a question of goals. We are still champions until proved otherwise. We are going to face teams in the next few weeks who are playing for European places. If we take the title for granted, it will be a big letdown. I don't need to motivate my players; they know that we still have to win. The only motivation is to be French champions for the 11th time,” said Galtier.
The Parisians have won 21 and lost three of their 27 league games this season.
