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PSG ace Kylian Mbappe is poised to leave this summer but an editorial in Le Parisien claims Lionel Messi could be the reason behind it.
The Argentine, who joined on a free transfer from Barcelona last summer, has supposedly hampered Mbappe's ambitions of being the side's leader.
For all his accomplishments and status, Messi is obviously the bigger star here and his presence in the squad will always be like a shadow looming over the Frenchman.
Statistically, though, Mbappe has been the star of Mauricio Pochettino's side this season, producing a blistering run of form to score 22 goals in all competitions so far and register another 16 assists.
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He's eclipsed both Messi and Neymar with eye-catching individual displays, but the piece by Benoît Lallement also claims Messi's arrival has upset Mbappe’s partnership with Neymar.
This shift in the status quo has impacted the 23-year-old's mindset as he feels it might as well have repercussions on his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or and other individual awards.
Lallement wrote:
"Was it pertinent to recruit Messi when Mbappe seemed to be ready to take on the role as the leader of PSG?"
PSG ace looks set for Real Madrid move
Though Messi turns 35 in June, he still has a few years left at the top, but given Mbappe's form right now, the Frenchman is ready to become the leader.
Real Madrid are ready to offer him the chance to spearhead their squad and it's something that seems too hard to give a miss.
The 23-year-old has long been touted to join Los Blancos and now with just over four months left on his current deal with the Parisians, the long-winded saga could finally end with the player committing his future to them.
Ironically, he scored the winner against Carlo Ancelotti's side in stoppage-time of their first-leg clash in the Champions League on Tuesday.
However, upon the conclusion of the tie next month, Mbappe is widely expected to announce his decision.
PSG are still looking to persuade him by offering him a lucrative contract that will see the World Cup winner earn more than Messi and Neymar.
But it all seems like a losing battle for them now.
