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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will travel to the Stade Gaston Petit on Friday to face Chateauroux in the Round of 64 of the Coupe de France. Christophe Galtier will be eager to get his team back to winning ways after the 3-1 defeat at Lens.
Meanwhile, Alexis Mac Allister has said that Argentina want Lionel Messi to play the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Elsewhere, the Parisians are willing to offer Marcus Rashford €10 million in wages to move to Paris.
On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on January 3, 2023:
Argentina want Lionel Messi at 2026 World Cup, says Alexis Mac Allister
Alexis Mac Allister has said that the Argentina team want Lionel Messi to be part of their squad for the next World Cup. The PSG superstar created history last month by winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 35-year-old ended the tournament with seven goals and three assists in seven games, winning the Golden Ball.
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However, Messi has said that he's unlikely to take part in the 23rd edition of the greatest spectacle on Earth in 2026. Speaking recently, Mac Allister said that the squad would want the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner to hang around.
"We don’t want him to leave the national team. He said he was going to be his last World Cup, but we don’t want that. We want him to stay with us. He knows it. So let’s see what happens. He sent a message to us yesterday, wishing us a very good year," said Mac Allister.
He added:
"He was very grateful to us. After the game, we couldn’t speak too much because we wanted to celebrate. I think we still don’t realise what we achieved, but in the next five or ten years, we will.”
The Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder added that Messi and Angel Di Maria deserved to win the World Cup. He said:
"He deserves it. It was the only trophy he was missing, and now he has it. I’m really glad to be part of this, to help him and the team to get that trophy. I’m really happy for him, (Angel) Di Maria as well, because they are two players who fought a lot in the last couple of years to get that trophy and to play for our country," said Mac Allister.
The 35-year-old has appeared 19 times across competitions for the Parisians this season, scoring 12 goals and setting up 14 more.
PSG ready to offer €10 million in wages to Marcus Rashford
PSG are ready to offer Marcus Rashford an annual salary of €10 million to move to the Parc des Princes, according to Calciomercatoweb via We All Follow United.
The English forward has rediscovered himself under Erik ten Hag at Manchester United and is in blistering form. The 25-year-old has appeared 22 times for the Red Devils across competitions this season, registering 11 goals and four assists.
The Premier League giants recently triggered a one-year extension for the player, whose contract now runs out in 2024.
The Parisians are long-term admirers of Rashford and have been on his trail for a while. The Ligue 1 champions are now willing to offer him a huge salary to move to Paris. The player has maintained a desire to stay at Old Trafford, having spent his entire career at the club so far.
PSG’s massive offer could force a change of heart, but given his importance to Ten Hag, Manchester United are unlikely to let him go.
Christophe Galtier defends Kylian Mbappe performance against Lens
Christophe Galtier has refused to accept any criticism of Kylian Mbappe's performance against Lens.
The French forward was not in his element as PSG succumbed to a 3-1 defeat at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Sunday (January 1). It was the Parisians’ first defeat of the season across competitions.
Speaking after the game, Galtier said Mbappe played well despite not managing to make a difference.
"Kylian made a lot of effort; even at 3-1, he showed a very good state of mind. Unfortunately, he did not manage to make the difference because in front, they defended well. They regrouped well in front of the surface, so there was less and less space. Facing low blocks and an opponent who has the advantage in the score, you need a lot of talent and technical accuracy," said Galtier.
The 24-year-old has appeared 22 times across competitions this season for the Ligue 1 champions, scoring 20 goals and setting up five more.
