Messi’s surprising LAST WORDS to Mbappe at PSG

Robin Bairner

• 22 Jun 2023 09:41 BST
• 2 min read

Lionel Messi dropped Kylian Mbappe a piece of transfer advice before leaving PSG this summer as a free agent.

Messi is set to sign for MLS side Inter Miami after confirming a deal is in place, although it has not yet been made official. The World Cup winner departed PSG after two seasons with the club, in which he scored 32 goals and created another 35 in 75 appearances.

While the Argentina international’s time at PSG was broadly seen as disappointing, he struck up a formidable relationship with Mbappe in attack.

MORE: Mbappe tells Real Madrid his transfer plans

While Messi has departed PSG, Mbappe is set to leave in the summer of 2024, having refused to take up an option on his contract that would have seen his deal prolonged until 2025.

The France striker insists that he will remain with PSG next season, although the signs are that the club could try to force him out this summer in a bid to recoup a transfer fee for the player.

Nevertheless, the odds are that he will move to Real Madrid under the freedom of contract laws in 12 months.

MORE: Out Of Contract in 2023: Best players available on a free transfer

Messi has reportedly admitted that he does not want to see that happen but urged Mbappe to leave PSG.

“I’d prefer if you went to Barcelona, but if you want to go to Real Madrid, do it,” Messi told Mbappe, according to Defensa Central. “You deserve a real project, one that wins.”

PSG attacked

PSG have once again come under fire for their scattergun approach to squad building, which left them lopsided last season. As a consequence, they only ran out winners of Ligue 1 by a single point over Lens and crashed out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage to Bayern Munich.

This summer, there is still uncertainty over who their coach will be for next season, with the odds suggesting it will be Luis Enrique.

The Spaniard can count on having Mbappe in his PSG ranks for next term, but beyond that the situation is far less clear.