By Betsefy
Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier and defenders Sergio Ramos and Achraf Hakimi have all played down rumours linking Kylian Mbappe with a move away from the club.
Prior to PSG’s 1-1 draw with Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday night, multiple reports emerged claiming that Mbappe wants to leave the French champions in January.
The 23-year-old only signed a new lucrative three-year deal with PSG back in the summer, having snubbed Real Madrid and Liverpool to commit himself to the capital club.
However, Mbappe now allegedly feels that he has made a mistake by signing fresh terms until 2025, and he has been left unhappy with his role at the club and in Galtier’s system.
Speaking to RMC Sport in the wake of reports claiming that Mbappe feels “betrayed” by the board, Galtier poured cold water over such speculation, saying: “A lot was said about him this afternoon.
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“I haven’t spoken about it with him, the objective is to remain concentrated on the match. He gave a lot tonight, he showed he was a great player, that he was concentrated on the match and the competition.
“We were all concentrated on the objective and on the match. A rumour becomes a piece of news, and a piece of news becomes a statement. I find that very surprising a few hours before a very important match.”
Mbappe scored his 31st Champions League goal for PSG from the penalty spot on Tuesday night, becoming Les Parisiens’ highest-ever scorer in the competition, but Joao Mario levelled for Benfica in the second half with his own spot kick.
Ramos and Hakimi were also questioned on the Mbappe exit rumours after that 1-1 draw, and the former told Canal+ that the ex-Monaco man appears to be “very happy” in Paris.
“The only thing I can tell you is that I am very good friends with Kylian. He is very happy every day. He didn’t leave last year. I don’t believe in rumours, and we are focused on our work. We don’t read the newspapers,” Ramos said.
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Hakimi echoed Ramos’s sentiments when asked by RMC Sport, adding: “We always talk about this kind of thing. I saw Kylian focused on the game and the club.
“We didn’t talk about that. It’s you who take things out of context. He is focused on the club, he is happy here. I see him happy, and I think that’s the most important thing.”
PSG football advisor Luis Campos was also alleged to have been thinking of an exit from the French champions alongside Mbappe, but the 58-year-old has also denied claims on his and Mbappe’s futures.
PSG and Benfica remain locked together on eight points in Champions League Group H after remaining unbeaten with their second successive 1-1 draw, but Galtier’s side are ahead courtesy of goals scored.
Les Parisiens will aim to seal their place in the last-16 when they welcome Maccabi Haifa to the Parc des Princes in two weeks’ time, and Galtier’s side now prepare to resume Ligue 1 duties against Marseille in Le Classique on Sunday evening.
