Tag: France

Neymar signs deal with Facebook

Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil star Neymar announced on his Instagram and Facebook pages that he is joining Facebook Gaming as an exclusive streamer of content.

Outside being an incredible footballer, Neymar is also a big character which makes him one of the most commercially appealing footballers in the world.

The 29-year-old has several endorsements of his name and brand and Facebook through their gaming platfo, Facebook Gaming, are the latest to partner with the Brazilian superstar.

In a video announcing the new partnership, Neymar said:

“You know one of my favourite things is playing and streaming games. Now it’s official. I’m the newest Facebook Gaming creator.”

In a statement released later, he said: “I’m very happy to partner with Facebook Gaming on my livestreams!

“The gaming world has always been one of my greatest passions after football, and I can barely wait to hang out and have fun with everyone who also shares this passion.”

Neymar will go live on Facebook Gaming on Thursday 17 December for his over 254 million followers on Facebook and Instagram.

The PSG man, currently recuperating from an ankle injury he suffered two weeks ago, will be streaming games often as Facebook Gaming seeks to harness his star power to challenge other streaming platforms like Twitch.

As a way to give back to his fans, he will also be streaming once a month with a randomly selected fan while interacting with them.

This announcement just comes after Netflix announced with a trailer, a three-part documentary on Neymar’s career titled, “Neymar: The Perfect Chaos”.

The documentary, produced by LeBron James’ production outfit SpringHill Co., will begin airing on Netflix from January 25 2022.

PSG to use Neymar in bizarre swap deal for Barcelona midfielder

Meanwhile, reports have come out of Spain about PSG looking to include Neymar in a deal to bring Frenkie De Jong to Parc De Princes from Camp Nou.

El Nacional claims that PSG will be willing to pay €50 million with Neymar for the midfielder’s services at the end of the season.

Barcelona’s financial troubles means that the club could be open to selling any player. Frenkie De Jong is one of the most important and, by virtue of that importance, highly paid in the Barcelona squad.

Unconfirmed reports also claim that Frenkie De Jong is not high on Xavi Hernandez’ list which could make the sale all the more feasible as the Barcelona manager seeks to shake up his squad which he has described as having “psychological issues”.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have previously shown interest in De Jong who Barcelona value at €90 million. They are now trying again to secure his services now that his future at the Camp Nou is no longer as certain as it was a season ago.

John De Jong had earlier mentioned to the media that Europe’s biggest clubs had reached out to him concerning his son’s availability during the summer but no definite answer was given.

However, PSG’s reported willingness to let Neymar go as part of a deal for De Jong shows signs that the Parisiens have had enough of Neymar and are looking to build for the future.

Former Liverpool man seeking Premier League return

Georginio Wijnaldum is reportedly open to a return to Premier League football, according to Sky Sports.

The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has struggled for game-time since his move to the club for free in the summer. He has gone from an integral member of Jürgen Klopp’s side to a squad player at the star-studded PSG, a situation he is now looking to get out of.

Wijnaldum has made 20 appearances across all competitions for PSG this season with 10 coming as a starter. He has scored three goals for the French side, two of which have won valuable points for PSG as they seek to reclaim their lost Ligue 1 title from LOSC Lille this season.

Sky Sports reports that Arsenal are interested in bringing Wijnaldum back to the Premier League, especially with Thomas Partey’s impending absence from the squad in January due to the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Wijnaldum was signed by PSG to add goals from the middle of the park to their squad, because his competition in the PSG midfield aren’t known exactly for their goalscoring.

However, he has struggled to get a starting spot in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad with the same midfielders being preferred over him.

Wijnaldum finding new squad role hard to adjust to

After a hugely impressive five-year spell at Anfield where he played 237 games and scored 22 goals in which he won the Premier League and Champions League, the Dutchman was in high demand during the summer.

Barcelona – who have turned down a chance to sign him on loan this January according to latest reports – were in the final stages of a deal with the midfielder’s entourage which PSG hijacked.

Now at PSG, Wijnaldum has shown signs of what enticed Barcelona and made PSG hijack their deal to sign him, but his style has yet struggled to oust the midfielders at the club.

Wijnaldum commented on the situation back in October 2021, after only five months at the club. The 31-year-old said that he was “not completely happy” in Paris due to his lack of playing time.

He told Dutch news outlet NOS: “I can’t say I’m completely happy, because the situation is not what I wanted.

“But that’s football and I’ll have to learn to deal with that. I’m a fighter. I have to stay positive and work hard to turn it around.

“I have played a lot in recent years, was always fit and also did very well. This is something different and that takes getting used to.

“I was really looking forward to the new step and then this happens. It is very difficult.”

A great signing for Arsenal

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has showered praises on the Dutch midfielder. The former Manchester United right back took to Twitter earlier this year to call Wijnaldum the most underrated player in the Premier League.

Another Manchester United legend and Sky Sports pundit, Paul Scholes, has also previously been full of praise for Wijnaldum.

“I think he is a player who doesn’t get probably the credit he deserves, but he has got everything in midfield,” Scholes once said after a Liverpool win last season in which Wijnaldum played a key role.

His former boss, Jürgen Klopp, has also described him as “perfect” because he fit very well into his playing style. For this reason, Wijnaldum was one of Klopp’s most fielded players during his time at Anfield.

Arsenal will end up with a solid signing who can help turn their season around if he seals a loan move to the club in January.

Lionel Messi loses 11-year record to PSG teammate

Lionel Messi has lost one of his numerous records to fellow Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe following the 22-year-old’s 30th and 31st goals in the UEFA Champions League.

PSG hit top gear in their final Champions League group game against Club Brugge with goals from Messi and Mbappe making Parc de Princes erupt in rapturous applause for the first time in a while.

Mbappe, 22, opened the scoring in under two minutes to score his 30th Champions League goal and break the record set by his strike partner, Messi, 11 years ago. He added a second to officially kick off a new era and the race to another record: 50 goals under 25 years old.

He also set up Messi’s first goal with some great solo work to get away from an onrushing Club Brugge defender, before squaring to Messi who found the net from almost 25 years out.

Messi achieved the milestone in 2010 when he was 23 years and 131 days old, while Mbappe – only two weeks away from his birthday – achieved it at 22 years and 352 days to give Pochettino’s side a boost for their coming games.

Mauricio Pochettino will appreciate his team’s performance after a week in which they were held to successive Ligue 1 draws by OGC Nice and RC Lens respectively.

Messi extends goalscoring record

Kylian Mbappe tore holes through the walls of the Club Brugge defence in the first seven minutes, and Messi knew he had to get in on the action.

The Argentine forward who had come into the game with only one goal in nine Ligue 1 appearances but a much better Champions League record, where he had four goals in five games, kept knocking but was denied a few times by great blocks and good saves from Simon Mignolet of Club Brugge.

He finally got his goal after going on a typical run following some good work by Mbappe, before curling in with his deadly left foot.

He scored again from the penalty spot after getting tried in the box, eight minutes after Club Brugge midfielder Mats Rits got a consolation goal back

Both Messi’s goals have now moved him ahead of Pele in the men’s career goals list, as they took his tally to 758 in total for club and country. He is now only 43 goals behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the outright top scorer in men’s football with 801 goals.

Club Brugge was also the 38th team he’s scored against in the competition, level with Cristiano Ronaldo for the most teams scored against. His brace was also his 35th in the competition, which took him to 125 goals in 154 Champions League matches.

Juventus’ turn to PSG and Manchester United for solutions to attacking problems

Juventus’ have struggled in front of goal this season and have now identified two outcasts at Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United to solve their problem.

They won their last game convincingly but their attacking performances in the course of the season have left much to be considered and desired.

Manager Massimiliano Allegri has had to deal with plenty of issues in the side, including defensive problems, and has struggled to find a solution to any of them as Juventus keep suffering in the league.

They let Cristiano Ronaldo move to Manchester United in the summer, giving up 30 goals a season. Despite having Alvaro Morata, Paulo Dybala and Moise Kean in their squad, however, Juventus only have 20 league goals this season.

This lack of attacking output has kept the Bianconeri out of the top four, and the club’s management, according to reports, are now looking to bring reinforcements in the winter transfer window.

Serie A top scorer, Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic, who has scored more goals individually than all of Juve’s attackers combined, remains their primary target. The Serbian is currently out of their reach financially, however, making the Bianconeri look elsewhere.

Barcelona target Edinson Cavani and Mauro Icardi are the reported attacking reinforcements, according to Tuttosport.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s move from Juventus to Manchester United has sent Cavani down the pecking order at Old Trafford while Icardi has not replicated his impressive Inter Milan form since joining PSG in 2019.

The Bianconeri hope to secure a loan for one or both strikers in the winter transfer window, as they look to sharpen their fangs up front and begin taking teams out in their usual fashion.

Wanda Nara drops hint of possible Icardi-Juve link up

Mauro Icardi’s wife and manager, Wanda Nara, may have hinted a possible move for the PSG striker back to Italy with Juventus.

In her latest social media post, shared a photo of her wearing a zebra-striped top, with the caption: “I toast for me, for what is coming this year and for you.”

Icardi, 28, joined PSG from Inter in 2019 after initially being linked with Juventus. There is a reported clause in his PSG contract which requires the Parisien club to pay Inter Milan the sum of £12 million if their former captain is moved on from Paris to another Serie A club.

The clause was allegedly installed in the forward’s PSG transfer contract following string interest from the Turin powerhouse club. Yet, Juventus continue to be linked with Icardi and are now rumoured to be discussing with his camp ahead of a winter loan move.

Footmercato in Italy claims that Allegri has already spoken to Icardi’s entourage in recent days and told them he ‘would love to have’ the striker with him in Turin.

Judging by Wanda Nara’s latest post, there might be something concrete on the horizon regarding these rumours. It could yet be another ploy by Icardi’s wife to stir controversy and rumours, as she is known for such antics in the football space.

Juventus rejected Cavani in the summer; now desperate for his signature

Juventus have long admired the Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani since his record-breaking Napoli days. He was the subject of several transfer rumours with Juventus at the centre during his time there and even during his time at PSG after leaving Napoli.

Cavani had rejected the Turin club in the past due to his loyalty to Napoli, choosing to go to Manchester United imafyer his latest rejection of the club.

Following the signing of Ronaldo by Manchester United and the reduction of Cavani’s role in the squad, Manchester United offered Cavani as a replacement for Ronaldo. Juventus declined the offer.

Calciomercato reported that Cavani’s wages at United we’re a lot for Juventus to match, which was the reason for their refusal to sign the one striker they’ve wanted the most in the past decade.

The club had to let Ronaldo go due to his huge financial demands, and bringing Cavani who demanded just as high – £250,000 per week – was going to cripple them further.

This fact, coupled with the new transfer policy within Juventus to sign only youngsters with an average age of 23 years old kept Cavani from moving to Juventus in the summer

Cavani has played just over 200 minutes only for Manchester United in the Premier League this season, which have come across five appearances. The arrival of interim manager Ralf Rangnick doesn’t look to change the situation, and the striker wants out.

Juventus will have to battle with Barcelona for his signature in the winter, just like they did over Matthias De Ligt and Frenkie De Jong three years ago.

Arsenal youngster keen on loan move in January

Folarin Balogun is keen to leave Arsenal in the winter transfer window for the sake of more game time as he has struggled to impress Mikel Arteta since being promoted to the senior squad.

Balogun signed a contract extension last summer after negotiations which lasted for several months that looked sometimes on the edge of breaking down.

The Hale End product has been in the dynamics of the first team since 2020 but has only made two Premier League appearances for the club, one of which was the 2021/22 season opening day loss to newly-promoted Brentford in August 2021.

He was a trusted part of the Europa League squad last season, however, and showed some of the quality which he regularly shows with the Arsenal U-23s, where he has been made to play this season since after the opening day.

Various reports now claim that the 20-year-old American, born to Nigerian parents but raised in England, is keen on getting senior team experience and as such, is seeking a loan move in January.

Three Championship clubs including Middlesbrough, managed by sacked Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, are looking to have him in their ranks from January.

It is also reported that French Ligue 1 side, Saint-Etienne, is ready to challenge the three Championship clubs for his signature in January.

Balogun speaks up on his situation

The England youth international has spoken up about his situation within the Gunners squad 

“I have played youth football for a little while, I have obviously scored a lot of goals at that level and improved at that level drastically from when I started,” Balogun said.

“I do feel like I am ready for a new challenge but I am not sure what that might be, it might be a loan or if I am needed at Arsenal then I am here and the gaffer knows that.

“I know the potential I could have and that I need to achieve is massive. I haven’t achieved it yet. What I see now I would just describe as glimpses, things that need to be worked on and can be improved.

“The performances I am putting in are all I can do at the moment. I know that I am going in the right direction.”

Balogun is inspired by fellow Hale End graduates Emile Smith-Rowe and Bukayo Saka who have not only gone on to secure prominent first team roles but also gotten England senior team call-ups.

“This time last year Emile was playing 23s football, so that just shows how quickly things can change in football,” Balogun added.

“I know that I need to be patient and I have complete faith in the gaffer. Whatever the plan is I will give 100 percent and I know it will work out.”

Arsenal look to shake things up in January

Balogun is not the only Arsenal player looking for a way out of the club.

Fellow Hale End product Eddie Nketiah is looking to leave the club and has rejected the Gunners’ latest contract offer to extend his stay beyond this summer when his contract runs out.

He’ll be free to talk to teams in January, and except anything changes, will be leaving Arsenal in June 2022 for free.

Alexandre Lacazette is also on his way out, as the 30-year-old striker’s agents are on the lookout for the best deal for him. Several clubs including AC Milan and Atlético de Madrid are interested in Lacazette.

However, 90min have claimed that the north London side are interested in signing Brazilian striker Gabriel Barbosa Almeida “Gabigol” who is looking for a return to Europe after a horror spell at Internazionale.

Gabigol is a central striker who can play on the right wing as well, a good replacement for the soon-to-be absent Nicolas Pepe.

The Flamengo striker would also have little problems adjusting to life at the Emirates Stadium as compatriots Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes will be there to help him adjust.

He could also be a fan favourite as he has admitted his admiration for Arsenal legend Thierry Henry many times in the past, and claims to model his game on the legendary Gunner.

Neymar’s injury does not look good, Mauricio Pochettino admits

Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino is worried about the possibility of Neymar spending a long time on the sidelines due to the injuries he sustained in their comeback win against Saint-Etienne at the weekend.

Neymar was stretchered out of the game in the 80th minute after a crunching tackle by Yvann Macon, and had to leave Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on crutches.

Pochettino has expressed hopes that Neymar has not sustained a serious injury, though the PSG manager conceded that the images he has seen of the incident do not look good.

According to football data collection site Transfermarkt, this is Neymar’s fourth injury of the season, and he looks to be out for 42 days pending the results of the tests being carried out.

Pochettino told journalists at a press conference: “There is nothing more to say for the moment, it is the pain he felt in the leg with his ankle that turned. We will have the exams tomorrow and we will see.”

In an earlier interview with Amazon Prime Sport, Pochettino said: “We will have to see this tomorrow but from the images, I hope that it’s not a big deal and that he will be back with the squad quickly. But the action is not good.”

Neymar injury history at PSG

Neymar is no stranger to these situations as he’s one of the most injured players in the world in the past few seasons. He has learnt to take these setbacks on the chin and come back stronger every time.

This is his third ankle injury at PSG; the first happening in June 2019 to keep him out of PSG’s pre-season preparations for two months, and the other in December 2020 which kept him out for a month.

The 29-year-old posted an update for fans to his official Instagram account which read: “Let’s recover, unfortunately these setbacks are part of an athlete’s life. Now that’s what you have, lift your head and let’s go. I’ll come back better and stronger.”

This season, Neymar has already missed 57 days (9 matches) due to injury, with a further nine matches to be missed if he spends the predicted 42 days out on the sidelines due to this latest injury.

In Neymar’s four-and-a-half seasons at PSG, has missed 524 days (90 matches), amounting to a year and five months of football.

PSG can, however, count on the quality of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria if this injury happens to be a long term one for the Brazilian.

Sergio Ramos: “I can play for four or five more years”

Sergio Ramos has made his Paris Saint-Germain debut after four months on the sidelines with a knee ligament injury that almost looked like it would end his career at just 35 years old.

Speaking in an interview with Amazon Prime Sport before his debut, Ramos claimed he can “continue to play for four or five years” as he believes his physicality is back to what it once was.

Sergio Ramos moved to PSG on a free transfer in July 2021 after a stellar 16-year career at Real Madrid, where he was the captain for seven of those years.

He joined the Parisiens injured, however, and struggled with the injury for four whole months. He was given the medical green light last week and made his debut on the squad list in PSG’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City in the 2021/22 Champions League matchday 5.

He finally got to start in a dream centre-back pairing with PSG captain Marquinhos as PSG battled from a goal down to snatch the victory away to Saint-Etienne at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. He played like he never left; riling up opposition players and putting his body on the line to make tackles.

PSG fans and fans of the Real Madrid legend will be happy to see Ramos, whose career was in doubt due to the injury relapses he kept suffering, back on the field.

Now, according to the four-time UEFA Champions League winner in his interview with Amazon Prime Sport, it’s only a matter of his mental strength that will keep him playing for four or five more years.

Sergio Ramos wants to pay back PSG’s trust in him

PSG took a huge gamble by signing an injured Sergio Ramos. However, when one of the best defenders in the world in the last 10 seasons becomes available on a free, it’ll be either foolish or very brave of clubs who want to compete for the biggest titles to look the other way.

Ramos recognises the risk PSG took in signing him and wants to pay the trust back. “I think I can continue playing for four or five years,” Ramos said in his interview. 

“The most important thing is that my head holds. I hope I don’t have any more physical problems.”

Ramos also admitted to battling negative thoughts during his lengthy injury layoff. “At the end are difficult moments, moments of loneliness,” the World Cup winner said.

“Whole hours in the gym with the physiotherapist, with the physical trainer. You constantly have negative thoughts that sometimes make you doubt.

“I believed in myself and in work,” he continued. “I focus on giving the club back the trust it has placed in me. I hope to reach my best level.

Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos admit to weirdness in PSG dressing room

Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos were rivals in the biggest club football match in the world for more than 10 years. Their rivalry was heated and both almost came to blows a few times especially during Messi’s time as Barcelona captain.

Fans were surprised that both men would play for the same club, and both men have also admitted that there’s a sort of weirdness sharing a dressing room with each other after being the faces of the El Clasico rivalry for such a long time.

Now that Ramos is fit, fans will need a period of adjustment to the sight of the two former captains of Barcelona and Real Madrid playing for the same club in a competitive match and fighting for the same objectives.

Lack of PSG game time bothering Angel Di Maria

Copa America winner Angel Di Maria has struggled for game time at Paris Saint-Germain this season and is willing to be a fixture in the team’s midfield if it will guarantee him more minutes.

Prior to this season, Di Maria was the player with the most games for PSG since he joined them from Manchester united in 2015. He has played 274 times for the French side across all competitions, scoring 89 goals and providing 107 assists.

However, since the arrival of his national team captain, Lionel Messi, from Argentina, his usual right-wing role has been taken away from him to accommodate the six-time Ballon D’Or winner.

Angel Di Maria is now willing to take up a role in the middle of the park, believing it’s a role suited for him so that he can get more game time this season.

Mauricio Pochettino cannot be blamed for ditching Di Maria in favour of Lionel Messi on the right side of the PSG attack. However, Di Maria has produced more returns than Lionel Messi whenever he gets an opportunity to play on the right side.

The 33-year-old has played only 10 games – seven as a starter – for PSG this season and has had five goal involvements (two goals and three assists). He is also third in PSG’s chance creation behind Neymar and Mbappe despite a lack of minutes.

I can play in midfield, Di Maria claims

Angel Di Maria is no stranger to playing in the midfield. He has played there a few times for Argentina and was also deployed in the midfield towards the end of his time at Real Madrid as the Bale-Benzema-Cristiano attack trio was picking up speed.

Di Maria now wants Mauricio Pochettino to give him the opportunity to show what he can do in the middle of the park for PSG.

“I think I’ve already shown that I can play in that position. In fact, it was my best year at Real Madrid, in 2014,” Di Maria told RMC Sport.

“The manager knows I can play there, but then it’s down to decisions. He’s there to decide and we’re there to do as best as we can on the pitch, no matter where, in midfield, up front, or elsewhere.

“Those are questions for him, the only thing I’ve done since I arrived at PSG has been to give it my all when on the pitch.

“It’s true that I like to play with the ball at my feet. In 2014 I played in midfield and I felt very good, really happy. With quality players at PSG like Marco [Verratti], Leandro [Paredes] or Gana [Idrissa Gueye] it could work, but those are the manager’s decisions.”

Zinadine Zidane edges closer to dream PSG job

Former Real Madrid boss, Zinedine Zidane, who is on a sabbatical from management, is edging closer to his dream Paris Saint-Germain job as Mauricio Pochettino looks to be closer than ever to the Manchester United job.

Marca (via Express UK Sport) reports that a number of PSG players believe that Pochettino will be leaving the club in the coming weeks after the discussion of the Manchester United job came up among the members of the PSG squad.

Pochettino has replaced Zinedine Zidane as the top preferred candidate for the Manchester United job after the Frenchman rejected the offer yet again following the sack of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Zidane reportedly has his eyes on either the French national team or the PSG jobs and will come out of his sabbatical earlier if either of these jobs is offered to him.

https://twitter.com/PSGhub/status/1462763616705425408

After the discussion with the squad, as reported, the PSG players are looking forward to having Zidane manage them if Pochettino eventually departs for Manchester United in the coming weeks.

Daily Mail claims that Pochettino is unhappy at PSG due to his struggles to manage the big egos in the club’s dressing room, and his family not being close to him in Paris as they’re still in England.

Zidane and PSG: A perfect match

The World Cup-winning former France midfielder is still a hero in his home country and will be a perfect match for PSG.

PSG have had their eyes set on the UEFA Champions League for a long time now, and hiring a manager with Zidane’s resume is going to be a smart move for the club.

Zidane’s arrival could also be key to getting Kylian Mbappe to commit his future to the club for at least one more season. Kylian Mbappe has made known his desire to move to Real Madrid, and Zidane, while he was in charge of the Spanish giants, never hid his wish to manage the young French forward.

If Zidane ends up managing PSG this season, it could be the key to keeping Mbappe at Parc de Princes, a wish that the PSG management has had for months now.

Zidane is also an experienced manager when it comes to dealing with big dressing room egos. PSG currently employ the services of Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Angel Di Maria, Marco Veratti, Gianluigi Donnarumma, among others.

Back at Madrid, Zidane had to manage the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos, Karim Benzema, among others. A manager with his experience can bring cohesiveness to PSG, who sometimes struggle to look like a team.

Sir Alex Ferguson leading calls for Pochettino to replace Solskjaer at Manchester United

Many sources have claimed that Pochettino was pushed up the new manager target list by former boss and member of Manchester United board of trustees, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Despite all the negative news surrounding Pochettino at PSG, he has them sitting at the top of Ligue 1 with an 11-point gap between them and second-placed OGC Nice.

Ferguson has once described Pochettino as a manager with composure. “Well, the manager has been fantastic,” Ferguson said in 2016 about Pochettino, who was only two years into his reign as Tottenham Hotspur boss at the time.

“They have a bad record of managers, there is no doubt about that. They have had so many over the years, but this lad has composure. You never see him ruffled and the way his team plays is a testimony to the work he is doing.”

“Rumours cannot distract me” Mauricio Pochettino says in response to PSG exit links

Mauricio Pochettino has once again come out to deny any reports of unhappiness at Paris Saint-Germain by stating that he’s happy at the club.

Pochettino has been reported to be the prime candidate to take over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Manchester United coach, with even more reports claiming that Sir Alex Ferguson is behind the push for his appointment.

However, the PSG boss has said that ‘football is about today, not tomorrow’ in response to all of these rumours while claiming that he is focused on his job in Paris.

It is worthy of note that Pochettino was the leading candidate to take over from José Mourinho when the veteran manager was fired from the United job in the 2018/19 season before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer usurped the job from him by performing brilliantly in his first few weeks as caretaker manager.

But now that the Argentine is with PSG, he has said that it’ll be a ‘mistake to talk’ about the Manchester United rumours while under contract at Parc de Princes.

“We live with rumours,” Pochettino says

Pochettino has been in the Manchester United dynamics since his days as Tottenham Hotspur manager. He met with Sir Alex Ferguson for dinner in 2016 while the club was looking for a replacement for Louis Van Gaal, which obviously didn’t go well as the club went for José Mourinho instead.

He’s no stranger to rumours, as he stated in his press conference ahead of the PSG-Manchester City clash, and insisted that it’ll be disrespectful to talk about them.

“I am very focused on football,” Pochettino said to journalists. “I am not a kid, I’m not a child, I spent my whole life playing football and now 12 years being a coach, we are in a business and the rumours are there.

“I completely understand what is going on – sometimes it is a positive or sometimes negative, but this kind of thing cannot distract me. What another club is doing [is] not my business and I am not going to make the mistake to talk. Things get misunderstood and out of context.

“Rumours, we live with that. We are focused and trying to give 100% for the club and players to help their performances. I am happy at PSG and so focused on trying to get the best result we possibly can against City.”

PSG stars preparing for Pochettino exit

The rumours surrounding Pochettino’s exit has reportedly gotten to the PSG dressing room as some of the squad discussed the possibility of losing their manager in the coming weeks.

The reports claim that the squad is down for the change, as long as Zinedine Zidane gets the job. Zidane has also been on the French side’s radar for a long time and has apparently been contacted by the PSG management to replace Pochettino if they lose him to Manchester United.

PSG currently sit top of Ligue 1 with an 11 points difference between them and second-placed OGC Nice. Lionel Messi has also opened his Ligue 1 scoring account which will give Pochettino more hope as they charge to reclaim the title they lost to LOSC Lille last season.