Karim Benzema has been rewarded for his career-best 2021-22 season with his first Ballon d'Or in a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.

Real Madrid captain Benzema was a strong favourite for the top award on Monday after inspiring the Spanish giants to a LaLiga and Champions League double last term.

Ahead of a November-December World Cup, a change in the format saw the Ballon d'Or awarded based on performances over a regular season rather than the calendar year for the first time.

France international Benzema would have been a leading candidate in either case, but he was the clear winner after scoring 44 goals in 46 matches and earning a fifth European crown in the 2021-22 campaign.

Although his haul was topped by Robert Lewandowski (50) – then of Bayern Munich and now of Barcelona – 10 of Benzema's goals came in the Champions League knockout stages, tying a Cristiano Ronaldo single-season record.

Vinicius Junior netted the decisive strike in the final versus Liverpool, but Benzema had already established himself as the world's best with hat-tricks against both Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

Adding 15 assists, Benzema's total of 59 goal involvements last season fell just shy of Kylian Mbappe's Europe-wide high of 60 (39 goals, 21 assists).

Benzema had been nominated for the Ballon d'Or on 10 previous occasions but only cracked the top 10 for the first time in 2021, finishing fourth as Lionel Messi – not nominated this year – claimed a seventh award.

Kylian Mbappe has described reports he wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain in January as "completely wrong".

Mbappe, who played in PSG's 1-0 Ligue 1 win over Marseille on Sunday, was said to have felt betrayed by the club hierarchy.

The World Cup-winning 23-year-old signed a new contract in May, after months of uncertainty, but he was reported to have become unsettled once more after a failure to meet his demands both tactically and in recruitment.

PSG football advisor Luis Campos emphatically denied those reports by claiming Mbappe had not informed the club of such intentions, while head coach Galtier also expressed confusion over the speculation.

The France international has now had his say on the reports, which surfaced just before PSG's Champions League match against Benfica on Tuesday, and is adamant they are not true.

"I'm very happy, I never asked to leave in January," he said, speaking to French media. "The info came out on the day of the match, I didn't understand. I'm not even remotely involved in this news. I was just as shocked as everyone else.

"People may think I'm involved, but I'm not involved at all, I was taking a nap. My entourage was at my little brother's game, all the people who take care of me weren't there, so we were flabbergasted when we found out.

"Afterwards, we had to deal with it, there was a game to play. Just to say it's completely wrong, and I'm very happy."

Mbappe had been a target for Real Madrid before agreeing to prolong his stay in Paris.

He said: "I am a football player, the most important thing for me is to play and give my best on the pitch. If I start spreading myself too thin, I will get tired very quickly.

"When you play at PSG, you know what you're getting into, what it's going to involve in the good and in the bad. You have to be ready.

"Those who come here know, we warn them. We're right in it at the moment, but we are focused on winning games and titles."

Mbappe has started the season in prolific form in front of goal, scoring 12 goals in 14 games across all competitions for the French champions.

This might be the perfect time to play Paris Saint-Germain, or it could be the worst possible time to face them.

It's been a chaotic week for the Ligue 1 champions, with rumours of in-fighting, betrayal, and possible walkouts.

Kylian Mbappe apparently wants out, and that in turn led to speculation about the possibility of football consultant Luis Campos and head coach Christophe Galtier departing as well.

Everyone remains for the time being and they must all now turn their attention to Sunday's game, Le Classique.

Victory for Marseille will move them level on 26 points with PSG – victory for the Parisians at the Parc des Princes will likely have many already declaring them champions again even after just 11 games.

A rival emerging?

Throughout Qatar Sports Investments' (QSI) ownership of PSG, genuine title rivals have been few and far between.

Marseille certainly can't claim to be so competitive yet, though there's clearly some cause for optimism.

After all, this will be the third successive Classique that has been contested by sides in the top three, which is as many as in their previous 13 meetings.

That may not mean a huge amount in isolation and even Marseille's second-placed finish last term saw them 15 points adrift of PSG, but Igor Tudor's men do appear to be making progress, with 23 points after 10 games their third-best start in the top flight.

A shock win in the capital on Sunday might force a few people to sit up and take note.

Classique, c'est bleak

Any Marseille optimism is likely to be tempered by the recent history of this fixture, however.

PSG have only lost one of their previous 25 games against Marseille across all competitions, a 1-0 Ligue 1 defeat in September 2020.

In fact, PSG's nine wins from 11 home meetings with OM since the QSI takeover in 2011-12 is their joint-most against a single opponent.

To make matters worse for Marseille, PSG haven't lost any of their past 19 Ligue 1 games – which is their longest such run since 21 between May 2018 and January 2019 – and are unbeaten at home in 26 top-flight matches.

But, as the saying goes; the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Right?

Verratti closes on landmark

Marco Verratti is one of the players who is most synonymous with this ultra-successful era of PSG given he arrived in 2012.

He is now set to make Classique history as he will be the first outfield player to make 20 appearances in the famous fixture.

In fact, only one player has ever made more appearances in Le Classique; former Marseille favourite Steve Mandanda.

Marquinhos isn't too far behind the Italian, though, and unlike Verratti, the Brazil defender has remarkably never lost to Marseille in Ligue 1.

That's a run of 15 games without defeat – only three players have ever played more Ligue 1 games against one team without losing. Jean-Paul Bertrand Demanes (21 versus Laval for Nantes) holds that particular record.

Galtier's point to prove

The off-field circus of this week has undoubtedly had its toll on Galtier, with the PSG embarking on a bit of a rant during Friday's pre-match news conference.

Former Nice coach Galtier fumed about questions relating to off-pitch matters, barking that he just wanted to concentrate on football.

Clearly, then, Galtier will be more motivated than anyone to get a positive result and ensure the focus is on football again after Sunday – though he'll need to put a poor run behind him if he's to do so.

Galtier has only won four of 25 games against Marseille as a coach, giving him a measly win percentage of 16.

Only against Auxerre (no wins from five games) has he a poorer record.

Christophe Galtier angrily articulated his frustration about the latest Kylian Mbappe transfer speculation as the Paris Saint-Germain boss questioned why his point of view is never believed.

In his first season with PSG, Galtier has had to cope with reports and rumours of unrest within his squad, and this week saw newspaper claims from Spain that Mbappe is once again thinking about a future away from Paris.

That seemed improbable when the France striker signed a new contract in May, having been urged to do so by no less an authority than France's president, Emmanuel Macron.

The 23-year-old turned his back on a possible free transfer to Real Madrid, but he has at times appeared unhappy this season, and now there are suggestions he would welcome a move away from PSG as soon as January.

Galtier has already scoffed at such talk, and he has claimed Mbappe's focus is where it should be, on delivering results for the French champions.

Those results have tailed off at an unfortunate time, with a pair of Champions League draws against Benfica coming either side of a 0-0 stalemate with Ligue 1 strugglers Reims.

Ahead of Sunday's Classique against Marseille, Galtier was asked how he coped with the incessant news cycle, the focus on the team, and situations such as that with Mbappe.

"You have to have experience and be a certain age to be able to manage these things," he said, before launching into a tirade about media coverage.

"What I'd like to say is you never speak about football. You ask me lots of questions. I'm not talking about you individually, but you, the media.

"I've been here many times as the Paris Saint-Germain coach and I have a feeling that match after match, press conference after press conference, we have to speak for 10 or 15 minutes and for maybe one minute about football. It is topics away from football.

"Whatever I say to you, you don't believe me, because you write the opposite and you say the opposite. Whether it is the written press, the radio, television, you say the opposite of what I say.

"So when I say that this [player] is well, they get on well, they are serious, they are professional, they have solidarity, it interests nobody. Other things are written.

"I am not here to comment on rumours. To answer your question about Kylian Mbappe, there is a rumour that came out before the game [against Benfica on Tuesday]. He had the best answer. He was named man of the match. He played well, he put in a great performance and showed solidarity.

"As for what is happening away from that, you have the right to talk about other things, but when you ask me questions I answer honestly. I have lots of faults, but I am very honest. When I say it, it is true. But when I say those things, nothing is written in the press, and you often see the opposite anyway.

"So to answer about Kylian Mbappe, have I spoken to him regarding the rumour, no.

"I am very proud to be the coach of Paris Saint-Germain and to be in charge of these players. Please, write that and let's talk about football."

Talking about football does not always make for comfortable reading either. Galtier has won just four of his 25 encounters as a coach against Marseille in Ligue 1 (D10 L11), a 16 per cent win-rate, and he only has a worse such ratio against Auxerre (D4 L1 in 5 games).

Previous clashes have been during his time in charge of Saint-Etienne, Lille and Nice, however.

As PSG boss, the expectations are different, and the leaders will be expected to get the better of a side who sit third heading into the weekend.

Galtier said PSG have been in a "very intense" spell of games, but he recognised the same applies for Marseille, who are also involved in the Champions League.

Sergio Ramos misses out through suspension this week after his red card against Reims, but Lionel Messi should be back from a calf injury.

Messi trained on Friday and barring any problems on Saturday he will be in Galtier's squad.

"It's the match that everyone looks forward to in the French league," said Galtier. "When I wasn't the Paris Saint-Germain coach, I was always excited to watch it. It is the Classique. Everybody is excited about it."

Galtier, who hails from Marseille, was adamant the vibe in the PSG dressing room is one of unity rather than division.

"Of course we don't all kiss each other every day, but things are going much better than elsewhere," he said.

"It is going much better than you might write or imagine. Kylian Mbappe is doing very well."

Real Madrid had a drawn-out pursuit of Kylian Mbappe earlier this year but ultimately missed out on the France forward.

Mbappe opted to sign a lucrative contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain in May, tying him to the Parisians until 2025.

But earlier this week, Fabrizio Romano reported the situation between PSG and Mbappe had got tense, with the player keen to depart.

TOP STORY – MADRID MOVE ON FROM MBAPPE AMID TRANSFER TWIST

Marca claims that Real Madrid are no longer have interest in signing Mbappe amid reports that he is unsettled at PSG and wants to leave.

The report claims that Los Blancos are observing the situation from afar with no desire to participate in the latest drama.

Romano also said PSG had no intention of selling Mbappe in January amid the speculation he wanted out. PSG director Luis Campos denied the report on Tuesday.

ROUND-UP

– Bayern Munich will turn to Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram should they fail to land Tottenham's Harry Kane , reports TZ. Thuram's Gladbach deal ends at the end of this season.

– Sky Sport's Florian Plettenberg reports that Toni Kroos and Real Madrid are set to commence talks on a new deal running until 2024, with his currently deal expiring at season's end.

– Barcelona will try to lure Chelsea pair N'Golo Kante and Jorginho to Camp Nou as free agents at the end of this season, claims the Evening Standard. The Blues are currently trying to convince both to re-sign.

– 90min claims Manchester City have told Bayern Munich and Inter that defender Nathan Ake is not for sale in January, following speculation about their interest.

– West Ham have joined Roma and Manchester United in pursuing a deal for Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi, according to Calciomercato.

– Football Insider reports Brentford have commenced discussions with England international striker Ivan Toney on a new deal, with Tottenham linked to him.

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo says the club have "no interest" in a move for Kylian Mbappe amid reports the World Cup-winning forward wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain.

Europe's top clubs have been put on alert by reports Mbappe is seeking a PSG exit just five months after he penned a bumper three-year contract extension with the club.

Mbappe is reportedly unhappy with his role in Christophe Galtier's team, while it has also been suggested he feels the club have broken promises they made when he signed his new deal.

But the France international will not find an exit route in Atletico, with Cerezo stating on Tuesday: "We have no interest in him, even if he'd have a place in every team."

Meanwhile, despite Atletico struggling to compete with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, Cerezo moved to defend head coach Diego Simeone, saying: "God willing, Cholo will be our coach for a long time." 

With Atletico six points off the pace in LaLiga and struggling to evolve their style of play under Simeone, some have questioned the position of the long-serving Colchoneros boss.

Cerezo, however, remains steadfast in his support of Simeone, adding: "All seasons are not the same, he has had 10 magnificent seasons and he will finish this one magnificently well. 

"I do not see the end of his stage. The confidence he has from the team and from us is enough for him to not think he has to go because journalists say so. God willing, Cholo will be our coach for a long time."

Cerezo was also asked about Joao Felix, who has yet to score in eight league appearances for Atletico this season, and reaffirmed his belief the Portugal international would soon show his quality.

"He's a terrific player and he has yet to really show what he is, but in time he will show it," Cerezo said. "We don't fear anything, he's an Atletico player, a magnificent player with a very long contract. 

"We're delighted with him, and we have to keep in mind that there are people who adapt right away and others who take longer, but I think he'll succeed here with the quality he has."

Kylian Mbappe is happy at Paris Saint-Germain, team-mate Hugo Ekitike claimed despite fresh reports the France star wants to leave the club.

Mbappe, who scored a penalty in Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Benfica, is said to feel betrayed by the club hierarchy and is seeking a move in January. 

Despite intense speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid in the previous transfer window, Mbappe instead decided to stay with the French champions.

But Mbappe is reportedly once more seeking an exit, citing his unhappiness that the club broke several promises they made when he signed his new three-year contract in May.

But speaking after the stalemate with the Benfica, striker Ekitike said: "I often talk with Kylian [Mbappe], I know that he is happy to be at the club."

Ekitike, who turned down a transfer to Newcastle United to move from Reims to PSG, came off the bench to make his Champions League debut against Benfica.

He added: "The Champions League is something magical. Last year I watched it on television so participating in it and having those first minutes is something beautiful."

And looking forward, Ekitike is excited about a potential partnership with Mbappe and the chance to develop.

"I think it [getting to play with Mbappe] would be not bad at all," he said. 

"I came here as a project over several years where I have to progress. I think I'm in the perfect club for that."
 
PSG are joint-top of Group H after four games with Benfica also on eight points. They face Maccabi Haifa next week as they look to secure qualification to the knockout stages.

Mats Hummels lauded Jude Bellingham's leadership after the Borussia Dortmund midfielder replicated the feats of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in a 1-1 draw with Sevilla.

Dortmund fell behind to Tanguy Nianzou's goal on Tuesday, but Bellingham cancelled out that strike by turning home Thomas Meunier's cross to score in a fourth consecutive Champions League game.

In doing so, Bellingham became just the third teenager to score in four consecutive Champions League appearances after Mbappe (in 2017) and Haaland (2019) – the latter of whom did so in five successive games.

Bellingham's return of four Champions League goals is also a new single-season record for an English teenager, beating Wayne Rooney's benchmark of three in the 2004-05 campaign.

Although the draw represented a frustrating result for BVB, Hummels showered praise on Bellingham, telling Amazon Prime: "Jude always wants to win. In training, in every game. He invests a lot. I think we all love this boy. 

"The fact that at the age of 19, he sometimes has to channel certain energies that I would still like to have, is completely normal. 

"But seriously, if someone - who has played every minute this season - tries to win every minute, to invest for the team, then he's allowed to complain. 

"I'd rather have someone like him who complains five times than someone who doesn't say anything at all. Then he can sometimes make wrong decisions, it doesn't matter."

Although Dortmund hold a five-point advantage over Sevilla in Group G, Hummels was irritated by a meek display which saw them register just seven shots totalling 0.37 expected goals.

"It wasn't a good game for us," Hummels added. "After half-time we lost at least 20 balls easily, unnecessarily leaving the game completely open against an insecure team.

"We didn't have enough game intelligence. I'm sorry, but Sevilla are very unsettled. They were happy with the 1-1 here, we didn't manage to build up any more pressure with the ball. 

"Football is actually a very simple game, but we always make it complicated for ourselves."

Christophe Galtier hailed the performance and focus of Kylian Mbappe against Benfica after "very surprising" reports emerged that the forward again wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappe gave PSG the lead at Parc des Princes on Tuesday, converting from the penalty spot in the first half to become the club's leading scorer in the Champions League.

Joao Mario subsequently responded with a spot-kick of his own after the interval, though the result seemingly paled insignificance after reports suggested Mbappe had demanded an exit from PSG.

The World Cup-winning 23-year-old only signed a new three-year extension in May but has reportedly become unsettled once more after a failure to meet his demands both tactically and in recruitment.

PSG football advisor Luis Campos emphatically denied those reports by claiming Mbappe had not informed the club of such intentions, while head coach Galtier also expressed confusion over the speculation.

"We talked a lot about him this afternoon. I didn't talk about it with him, the objective is to stay focused on the match," Galtier told RMC Sport after PSG were held to a 1-1 draw in the Group H encounter.

"He gave a lot, he showed that he is a great player, focused on the game and the competition. We were all focused on the goal and on the match.

"From the rumour, we make information and from information, we make a statement. I find that very surprising a few hours before a very important match..."

Mbappe's goal was not enough to secure progression to the Champions League knockout stages, though Benfica and PSG sit four points clear of Juventus and Maccabi Haifa at the Group H summit.

PSG will aim to secure qualification with two games left to play, sitting level on eight points with Roger Schmidt's side, though Galtier may be concerned after having to withdraw Mbappe in the closing stages.

"He took a nasty tackle, he has a knock. I preferred to make sure to bring on a fresh player," Galtier added.

"We can regret the penalty we conceded because the action was not dangerous. We lacked verticality in the final third.

"We have played high-intensity matches, obviously that generates tiredness, but fatigue is in everyone, it's not an excuse."

The stalemate left Benfica winless in away six Champions League games against French sides (D3 L3), scoring just two goals in these six games, though the Portuguese side deserve credit.

Schmidt's men are the first team to avoid defeat in both group stage games in the competition against PSG since the Ligue 1 side were twice held by Napoli in the 2018-19 season.

"It makes me proud, of course. The way the players are playing in these difficult games, we never gave up, we always believed in ourselves," Schmidt told Eleven Sport.

"When you can't win, you have to take a point. I said it after the first game and I repeat it now. I think it was a fair result, again. Playing two games like this against Paris says a lot about the quality and attitude of the players."

Sergio Ramos refuted speculation Kylian Mbappe wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain as he claimed the forward is "happy every day".

Mbappe started in the Champions League against Benfica on Tuesday after reports emerged the France international wants to depart the club in January, despite turning down Real Madrid to sign a new, lucrative three-year contract with PSG in May.

PSG football advisor Luis Campos insisted the 23-year-old has not expressed such intentions to the club, and Mbappe was in the thick of the action on the pitch in Paris.

Mbappe became PSG's all-time top scorer in the Champions League with a first-half penalty before Joao Mario's spot-kick restored parity, with the match petering out to a draw, with both sides sitting on eight points at the top of Group H.

After the game, former Madrid centre-back Ramos echoed Campos' sentiment, telling Canal Plus: "The only thing I can say is that Kylian is a friend and very happy here every day.

"He didn't leave last season, I don't believe the rumours."

As for PSG's performance, Ramos was far from impressed.

"We lacked a bit of determination. It's the little details that make the difference," he explained.

"Physically, [Benfica are] a very strong team, which worked well tactically and we couldn't find a space.

"The Champions League is a complicated competition. The objective is to finish first in the group, there are two games left and we must continue to work to show the best face of the team."

Thierry Henry has warned Kylian Mbappe that no player is bigger than the club, urging the Paris Paris Saint-Germain star to conform to tactical demands amid reports he may seek an exit.

World Cup-winning forward Mbappe signed a bumper three-year extension in Paris ahead of the 2022-23 season, seemingly ending speculation over a move to Real Madrid.

On Tuesday, however, PSG advisor Luis Campos was forced to address reports that Mbappe wants to leave in January, stating the France international has never expressed such intentions to the club.

The 23-year-old responded with a first-half penalty at the Parc des Princes against Benfica, becoming PSG's top scorer in the Champions League as he surpassed Edinson Cavani's 30-goal benchmark.

Reports suggest Mbappe has become unsettled for numerous reasons, including being unwilling to operate out wide, but Henry says his fellow Frenchman must play where he is instructed.

"Nobody likes to be exposed to what you are not good at," Henry said on CBS Sports. "You just don't like it. But there is something that is bigger than anything else and that is the club.

"Did they make him feel like the club was the most important thing or did they make him feel like he was more important than the club?

"I will use my own story. I didn't like to play out high and wide for Barcelona. I hated it, but I did it for the team.

"I didn't like it. After a hundred caps and I don't know how many goals I scored for France, I had to play on the left.

"I didn't hear anyone say, 'Oh, what a nice gesture!' to go on the left instead of players who had fewer goals and fewer caps.

"There is only one rule. If the boss asks you to do something, you do it; if it's good for the team. If it's bad for the team, I would get the argument."

PSG sit level on eight points with Benfica at the Group H summit after Joao Mario cancelled out Mbappe's opener with a spot-kick of his own, earning a point for Roger Schmidt's side.

Kylian Mbappe became Paris Saint-Germain's leading scorer in European competition but Christophe Galtier's side were held to a 1-1 draw against Benfica in the Champions League.

Tuesday's match at the Parc des Princes came on the back of widespread reports Mbappe was unhappy at PSG and would be seeking a January transfer.

PSG's football advisor Luis Campos emphatically denied those reports before kick-off, and the France international put the speculation to one side to convert a first-half penalty, nosing his side ahead and overtaking Edinson Cavani in the club's European record books.

Joao Mario equalised with a penalty of his own after the restart, however, with Mbappe seeing a late goal disallowed for offside as both teams missed the chance to secure progression from Group H.

PSG were thankful for a VAR reprieve in the 18th minute, an offside call seeing referee Michael Oliver change his decision to award Benfica a penalty for an Achraf Hakimi handball.

However, there was no doubt over Oliver's next penalty decision after Antonio Silva clumsily felled Juan Bernat, with Mbappe calmly sending Odysseas Vlachodimos the wrong way for his milestone goal six minutes before half-time.

Mbappe curled just wide in the second half before Marco Verratti brought down Rafa Silva just inside PSG's area.

The foul was initially missed by Oliver, who swiftly changed his decision after consulting the pitchside monitor, with Joao Mario smashing a finish high into the back of Gianluigi Donnarumma's net.

Mbappe thought he had struck a late winner, only to be ruled offside from Sergio Ramos' flick after acrobatically volleying past Vlachodimos.

Kylian Mbappe became Paris Saint-Germain's top scorer in the Champions League with a penalty against Benfica on Tuesday.

Reports this week suggested Mbappe wants to leave the French capital despite signing a bumper three-year extension in May amid continued interest from Real Madrid.

PSG football advisor Luis Campos said Mbappe had not told him of this wish ahead of the Group H clash with Benfica at Parc des Princes, where the 23-year-old soon made club history.

The World Cup winner coolly converted from 12 yards in the 39th minute to open the scoring after referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot following Antonio Silva's careless foul on Juan Bernat.

That took Mbappe's PSG tally to 31 goals in 48 Champions League appearances, surpassing Edinson Cavani as the club's leading marksman in the European Cup.

The France international, who previously netted six Champions League goals for Monaco, has scored four in as many games in Europe this season.

Kylian Mbappe has "never" told Paris Saint-Germain he wants to leave in January, says Luis Campos, despite continued reports of the forward's discontent.

World Cup winner Mbappe signed a new three-year deal with the Ligue 1 champions ahead of the 2022-23 season, seemingly ending speculation around a potential move to Real Madrid.

However, new reports have claimed the France international wants to leave Paris in January, with Madrid again said to be his preferred destination.

Ahead of a crucial Champions League clash with Benfica on Wednesday, PSG football advisor Campos refuted the suggestions Mbappe wants to depart.

"It's information. We have rumours every day, and we can't come and talk about them every day," Campos told Canal+.

"In this case, it's special, because we are a few hours away from a very important match; it is serious. It is serious because my name is also mentioned. And especially because I am with Kylian every day, [and] he never spoke to me about leaving in January.

"I was with the president, and to the president, Kylian never talked about leaving in January, too. That means it's not a statement from the player, it's information.

"Before a match like this, it's very serious and that's why I'm here: it's to deny and say clearly that Kylian never spoke, neither to me nor to the president, about leaving PSG in January. This question never came up."

Reports suggested Mbappe had become unsettled in the French capital, citing his role within the PSG attack, a failure to bolster their defensive options and a breakdown in his relationship with team-mate Neymar.

"Compared to me, I have a three-year contract with PSG, I am very happy to be here in this house, and I work every day so that PSG, at the end of my contract, have something special," Campos added.

"We speak with Kylian daily, as with Neymar, [Lionel] Messi, Danilo [Pereira], Vitinha, [Marco] Verratti, all the players. We discuss.

"Regarding recruitment, I have already said what I had to say last month [about a disappointing transfer window], I was very clear.

"The most important thing is to let people know that we work very hard every day, we are very happy to be here, and we are giving our all to satisfy PSG."

Kylian Mbappe's future with Paris Saint-Germain has come under scrutiny once again, with reports the French World Cup winner is pushing for an exit in January.

The 23-year-old signed a new three-year deal with PSG prior to the 2022-23 season, when he could have left the club on a free transfer, and made him the highest-earner in world football.

Just months after bringing the saga to a close, however, a new chapter in Mbappe's story looks to be opened, as his relationship with PSG is said to have broken down.

The list of clubs who could land Mbappe is a very small one, with PSG understandably ready to demand a world-record fee for his services, and Stats Perform has looked at his options.

Real Madrid

The frontrunners for Mbappe's services before he penned a new deal with PSG, Real Madrid will be firmly established as favourites for the France international should he be available – although securing a deal with the Ligue 1 champions will be difficult.

Madrid have a frosty relationship with their French counterparts, who were not included in the European Super League plans, still supported by Real's Florentino Perez, while LaLiga announced intentions to sue PSG after the European champions' approaches for Mbappe in the last transfer window fell flat.

Mbappe, meanwhile, is still reported to aspire to play for Madrid and will hope that player power triumphs, with any move adding to the strong French contingent currently on display in the Spanish capital.

The Santiago Bernabeu is already the home of Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Karim Benzema, to whom Mbappe would be a natural successor.

Liverpool

First linked with Liverpool three years ago, the Reds are reported to have explored the option of landing Mbappe had he become available for free.

Jurgen Klopp's side had little chance of such a deal, with Madrid the player's preferred option, but the sour relationship between the Spanish side and PSG may provide a boost to any hopes of the Frenchman arriving at Anfield.

Liverpool saw Sadio Mane depart for Bayern Munich and Roberto Firmino looks set to leave when his contract expires in 2023, while Mohamed Salah has struggled for form since penning a lucrative three-year deal in July.

A poor start to the season has seen Liverpool win just two of their opening eight matches, with the Reds already 14 points adrift of leaders Arsenal, while rivals Manchester City, who Liverpool have fought relentlessly in recent seasons, are enjoying the fruits of Erling Haaland's labour – so landing Mbappe could be the ideal response.

Chelsea

Todd Boehly's multi-billion-pound takeover prior to the start of the 2022-23 season saw a wealth of new additions, while a swift managerial change after a slow start led to Graham Potter arriving to lead the side.

It's no secret that the American owner is keen for a star addition to the squad, with Cristiano Ronaldo heavily touted for a move to Stamford Bridge from Manchester United. While that ultimately did not happen, Mbappe could be the answer to Boehly's prayers.

Landing Mbappe, arguably the biggest name in world football beyond Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, would represent a major coup and would also be a big hit with club sponsors Nike, who also have Mbappe among their list of clientele.

Chelsea's recent success in the Champions League would be appealing to Mbappe, who is yet to win Europe's elite competition, and a switch to the Blues could be the ideal fit for all parties.

Manchester City

City already have their mega-star well established in the side with Haaland but could an opportunity to partner him with Mbappe and boast a striking partnership that strikes fear into world football really be turned down?

Despite City's domestic dominance under Pep Guardiola, a Champions League title is yet to arrive at the club and Mbappe could get them over the line – particularly with Haaland already making his mark.

Few managers in world football have the pull that Guardiola does and Mbappe may feel he has not had the opportunity to work under an elite boss, with PSG's merry-go-round in the dugout yet to include a bona fide managerial great.

PSG would have no concerns that City do not have the money to secure such a transfer, with the Premier League side perhaps the only one in world football who undoubtedly have the full financial power to pull off a record-breaking move.