Lionel Messi has insisted that there is ‘no problem’ with Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe amid ongoing speculation about a rift between the pair.
Mbappe has long been rumoured to have strained relationships with both Messi and Neymar.
There were concerns that a supposed rift with Messi would be worsened by Argentina’s victory over France in the World Cup final and the way that Mbappe was treated by La Albiceleste in the wake of the epic game – notably being mocked by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in Messi’s presence.
But Messi has gone on record to declared that there isn’t an issue.
“We talked about the game, the celebrations how people had lived in Argentina in those days that I had been on vacation and the festivities we had. And nothing, nothing more, but good, really good,” the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner told Ole.
“I was on the other side too, I had to lose a world final as well and I didn’t want to know anything about that, about what had happened.
“And nothing that had to do with the World Cup at that time, that’s why I don’t want to talk about it either. But the truth is that there is no problem with Kylian, quite the opposite.”
Reason Arsenal failed to sign Kylian Mbappe in 2013 revealed
Arsenal’s failed attempt to sign Kylian Mbappe in 2013 has been revealed by a former member of the club’s scouting team.
Gilles Grimandi is best known for a five-year stint as an Arsenal player between 1997 and 2002, where he was part of an Arsenal side that won two Premier League titles under the guidance of Arsene Wenger.
But Grimandi also worked for the Gunners as a French-based scout between 2006 and 2019, before a short stint as technical director at OGC Nice.
His role was to look out for up and coming talent in his homeland and pass on the information to Arsenal’s hierarchy to decide whether or not to make a move.
Speaking about his experiences, Grimandi has revealed in an interview The Sun that the task of signing high-calibre youngsters became increasingly difficult as Arsenal’s level of performance began to drop, and noted that Mbappe was one prime example of a player who got away.
“The job of scouting is about finding but also missing players. For me, it is Kylian Mbappe. We just could not convince him,” Grimandi said.
“He was out of contract in June 2013 and we met him in February. If we could have convinced him to join, he would have changed the club — but he then decided on Monaco.
“Arsenal were not always playing their best so it was quite complicated. At first it was easy, as soon as we talked to a player he wanted to sign it.
“However, if you are not getting results it is difficult to bring top players to help the team. That’s why it is important to stay at the top for as long as possible. It is so much easier.”
Mbappe’s career exploded after he broke into Monaco’s first team at just 16 years and 347 days old – breaking Thierry Henry’s 21-year record as the club’s youngest ever player.
He quickly ascended to the top of the game after winning Ligue 1 in 2017, joining PSG in August of that year in a deal worth as much as €180m – the second most expensive transfer of all time.
