PSG’s decision to release several high-profile players alongside Lionel Messi irritates Kylian Mbappe

Lionel Messi and several other high-profile players could soon leave Paris Saint Germain. Apparently, this has irritated Kylian Mbappe.

French newspaper ‘Le Parisien‘ has reported that up to seven players could leave PSG in the upcoming transfer window. The club’s recent humiliating exit from the Champions League has forced the club’s sporting director Luis Campos to take this new directive.

Lionel Messi is also set to leave the club. The other players are Vitinha, Renato Sanches, Fabian Ruiz, Hugo Etitike, Juan Bernat, Carlos Soler, and surprisingly Sergio Ramos. The decision comes from Luis Campos who is prepared to transfer list anyone who he believes will not provide the club with enough sporting level.

Kylian Mbappe is said to be irritated with this news as he believes this could prove to be disastrous in the long run.

Why is PSG selling all these players including Lionel Messi?

PSG are facing a sanction from UEFA as they have been charged with breaking Financial Fair Play rules. They are one of ten clubs that were fined for breaching FFP rules in the 2020-21 season. While they have paid a €10 million fine, they still have €45 million in suspended future fines. And now further punishments could follow if they do not mend their ways.

According to Diario AS, the biggest threat that the club fears are being kicked out of the competition entirely. The sanctions could be imposed up to the season of 2024-25, resulting in significant financial losses and loss of prestige. That is why the club is working on reducing the wage bill as soon as possible. 

But the club has other reasons. The team has been rather sub-par and Luis Campos is said to want to revolutionalize the team. They want to best equip the team for Champions League glory and recognize that the current roster simply is not enough.

Having made Kylian Mbappe the highest-paid player with a new contract last summer, the club won’t sell him as he is by far their best player and is also young having years of his best football ahead of him. Lionel Messi and Ramos happen to be among the highest-paid players in the world. They are also old and past their prime. It makes sense that the club will try to get rid of both of their wages.

Both Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos will have their contracts expire this summer. They joined PSG for free in the summer of 2021 when both left Barcelona and Real Madrid. Messi is rumored to join Barcelona and Ramos’ future is still uncertain.