Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier is not remotely surprised by the stunning start to the season his side have made.

The Ligue 1 champions thumped Lille 7-1 at the Stade Pierre Mauroy on Sunday thanks to a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick, a brace from Neymar and a strike from Lionel Messi.

Mbappe's first came after just eight seconds, which was the fastest goal in Ligue 1 since Opta started recording data for the competition in 2006-07.

The result means PSG have scored 17 goals in three Ligue 1 games this season. Only Rennes in 1950-51 (18) have found the back of the net more often at the same point.

The win also saw them become the first team in Ligue 1 history to score at least three goals in six consecutive away games.

Galtier, who joined the club from Nice in July, has been impressed by his new side's start to the season, but it has not come as a surprise given the strength of their pre-season campaign.

Asked if he expected his side to be so dominant at this stage of the season, Galtier said: "Yes, because of the work we have done since July. Those who returned before the scheduled date prepared well before the season. 

"I saw players who wanted to start the season very strongly so I'm not surprised."

Galtier stressed that his side will not be complacent after their breathtaking start, and said he will be using the full depth of his squad to keep players on their toes.

Asked how they can maintain this form, Galtier responded: "The answer is simple: daily requirements. It is also important that everyone can participate in the sequence of matches. 

"You will have to agree to give up your place so that a partner can exist. Management is going to be important and that all the exchanges I will have with the group are very transparent, clear and precise. 

"The players may also have a little revenge to take on last season. The group must be able to live well together. We need happy and committed players in the locker room."

PSG are next in action on Sunday when Monaco visit the Parc des Princes.

Christophe Galtier has warned any further delay in bringing new players to Paris Saint-Germain could scupper his team's chances of glory this season.

Head coach Galtier wants to usher away a number of fringe members of his squad and upgrade the overall quality ahead of a Champions League mission.

Alongside the defence of their Ligue 1 title, the priority for PSG is to land European glory this season, and Galtier has players in mind who he feels can help the capital club achieve their goals.

"Two weeks ago, I said we were expecting three new players," Galtier said on Friday.

The likes of Vitinha, Hugo Ekitike and Renato Sanches have already arrived during the transfer window, while Arnaud Kalimuendo, Thilo Kehrer, Angel Di Maria and Georginio Wijnaldum have left the Parc des Princes.

However, Galtier sees room for further strengthening of his squad, and despite saying he has seen promising signs of progress, the September 1 deadline is looming large. He and football advisor Luis Campos are in close contact, looking for solutions.

Inter defender Milan Skriniar has been strongly linked with a switch to PSG in recent weeks.

Ahead of Sunday's trip to Lille in Ligue 1, Galtier said: "We have identified players who could really help us out. Then there is the reality of the transfer market and both the financial and commercial aspect.

"We have lots of players under contract. That is why the club is looking to the ability to loan players out to different clubs, to reduce the number of contracts at the club.

"That is the first thing. With Luis Campos, we talk every few days about the squad, but there is a time delay between the financial, commercial and sporting sides."

Although PSG have made a rollicking start in Ligue 1, scoring 10 goals across two games so far, Galtier knows they have areas where improvements can be made.

"We are in a rush," he said. "In a week's time, we will be playing every three or four days. The schedule will be very busy. It is not easy to integrate a player when you're playing every three or four days.

"Delaying their arrival could affect our sporting plans. We don't want the squad to be the biggest possible, but with as much quality as possible. We don't want the quality to suffer."

Kylian Mbappe and Neymar have patched up their differences at Paris Saint-Germain, but coach Christophe Galtier has not ruled out the prospect of a sensational departure before the transfer window closes.

Asked whether Neymar might move on before the September 1 deadline, Galtier indicated it was highly unlikely but not entirely out of the question.

A spat between Mbappe and Neymar became apparent during PSG's 5-2 Ligue 1 win over Montpellier last Saturday, with the pair seeming to disagree over penalty duties.

Mbappe missed an early spot-kick but thought he would have a chance to make amends when PSG were awarded a second penalty, only for Neymar to take over responsibility and make no mistake. It was clear Neymar considered he was next in line, but Mbappe may have thought the duty remained his.

It has led to suggestions of a rift between the star pair that could prove disruptive in the dressing room, with Mbappe looking best placed to win any such tug-of-war after signing a bumper three-year contract in May.

He scored later in the Montpellier game but refused to celebrate, to the frustration of a number of team-mates.

Galtier said the matter was put to bed during training this week, saying: "There's no malaise. We have been making plans, saying what we need to say to one another. I can confirm that in all honesty it's been a good week with everyone working hard to prepare well for the game against Lille.

"I have been involved in every session this week and any incidents from the Montpellier game were over from the following day onwards."

PSG travel to face Lille on Sunday as Galtier returns to the club he led to the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title.

Galtier warned that his players have to show maturity when considering who should take free-kicks and penalties.

"We have to show respect," he said. "There are situations in matches when the coach is far away, and my players have to show intelligence to know at which point they can give a present to a team-mate or make things easier for someone else to gain confidence by taking a penalty."

When the topic of Neymar and a possible departure was raised in Friday's press conference, Galtier did not entirely close the door on the idea.

"There are always surprises in the transfer window," the head coach said. "I haven't heard anything about Neymar asking to leave. I can see him training and working hard every day. He is performing well in the games so far.

"There is no feeling that he is on standby. But the transfer window is the transfer window."

For now, Neymar remains firmly in Galtier's plans, and the coach is planning on having Neymar, Mbappe and Lionel Messi as a front three this season, the coach's first campaign since joining from Nice.

If PSG get a penalty at Lille on Sunday, there seems sure to be no squabbling over who takes it.

"Who will take the penalty?" Galtier said. "The players will know it."

Christophe Galtier revealed Leandro Paredes is in demand and gave a strong indication he could leave Paris Saint-Germain before the transfer window closes.

Paredes is reported to have agreed terms with Juventus and a move is expected to go through if Adrien Rabiot joins Manchester United.

The Argentina midfielder has been frustrated by a lack of playing time at PSG, who he joined from Zenit in 2019.

Paredes replaced Vitinha for the final 20 minutes of the champions' 5-2 Ligue 1 thrashing of Montpellier on Saturday, but Galtier is unsure whether he will still be at the club when the transfer window closes on September 1.

The PSG head coach said in a press conference: "The situation Paredes is very different from Mauro Icardi's.

"Leandro has many requests and I don't know what will happen between now and the end of the transfer market. I know he wants to play, but he has a calm mood."

Galtier has strengthened his midfield with the signings of Vitinha and Renato Sanches, keeping Paredes down the pecking order.

The 28-year-old only started 15 games for PSG last season.

Kylian Mbappe cut a frustrated figure during Paris Saint-Germain's 5-2 Ligue 1 win over Montpellier on Saturday, with boss Christophe Galtier blaming it on a lack of match fitness.

France international Mbappe, making his first start of the season, missed a penalty in the 23rd minute, but created the first goal soon after when his low cross was turned into his own net by Falaye Sacko.

Neymar then scored twice – the first from the penalty spot – before Mbappe opened his account for the season with a smart finish at the back post after 69 minutes.

Debutant Renato Sanches added a fifth for the hosts late on, while Wahbi Khazri and Enzo Tchato Mbiayi were on target for Montpellier.

After a 5-0 win over Clermont last weekend, PSG became the first side to score five or more goals in their first two games of a Ligue 1 season since Reims in 1961-62.

Mbappe looked unhappy throughout the game and refused to celebrate his goal, much to the frustration of a number of his team-mates.

He also reacted furiously to Vitinha's decision to pass to Lionel Messi rather than him late in the first half, throwing his arms up in disgust and seemingly refusing to continue with the attack. 

Galtier, though, does not believe too much should be read into it and says Mbappe is simply frustrated at being behind his team-mates in the fitness stakes.

"Kylian played his last game three weeks ago so I knew it was going to be tough on a physical level for him," the PSG boss told Canal+.

"He's a competitor. He wants to be good and he wants to be good quickly, but a top footballer is not on and off like that; it takes a little time to regain 100 per cent of his athletic abilities.

"When he's at 100 per cent, he'll make the difference even more. These are players who like to score, who want to score, who attack.

"It's a bit normal for him to be disappointed at being a little short physically compared to his team-mates."

Mbappe's penalty miss was just his second in Ligue 1, with both of them coming at the Parc des Princes.

PSG midfielder Marco Verratti attributed his team-mate's attitude to that miss and says he does not mind him sulking as it shows he cares about the club.

"Kylian is a player who always wants to do well," the Italy international told reporters. "I think that with the missed penalty he was sulking a bit but that's normal. He's a big player, he always wants to make a difference.

"When he misses something, he's disappointed, that's normal. But afterwards he bounced back with the first goal on which he was decisive, then afterwards with his goal.

"It's good when he is angry because it means that he cares a lot about this team, that he wants to do well, that he wants to make a difference."

PSG are next in action a week on Sunday when they visit Lille. 

Paris Saint-Germain striker Arnaud Kalimuendo has joined Rennes in a reported €25million transfer, penning a five-year deal with the Ligue 1 side.

Kalimuendo, a France Under-21 international who signed his first professional contract with PSG as a 17-year-old in 2019, had been strongly linked with Premier League side Leeds United after they missed out on Belgian forward Charles De Ketelaere to Milan.

The pacey forward has spent each of the last two seasons on loan at Lens, scoring 12 league goals in the 2021-22 campaign as they recorded an impressive seventh-placed finish.

Only nine players, including PSG stars Kylian Mbappe (28) and Neymar (13), outscored Kalimuendo last term, earning the 20-year-old a big-money move to Europa League qualifiers Rennes.

PSG boss Christophe Galtier had confirmed Kalimuendo's move was imminent earlier on Thursday, while Mauro Icardi is also expected to leave the Parc des Princes to make room for another attacking recruit.

Rennes lost their Ligue 1 opener to Lorient last Sunday and face a trip to Monaco in their second game of the campaign on Saturday.

Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier expressed his intention to sign a new forward before the close of the transfer window.

The Ligue 1 champions have signed Hugo Ekitike from Reims but saw Angel Di Maria depart on a free transfer, while Galtier confirmed Arnaud Kalimuendo is closing in on a move to Rennes.

PSG may still have Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi to lead the line, but a long and gruelling season – which is complicated by the World Cup in Qatar – has Galtier wanting to increase the depth in his attack.

"Yes, we would like to bring in another forward. We have a very busy schedule, so we would like to bring someone in," he told a news conference ahead of Saturday's Ligue 1 clash against Montpellier.

"The club is working hard on that. I am in constant contact with Luis Campos [PSG football advisor], the board and the president. We must not make any mistakes. We must not rush things. We have to do something realistic.

"There are no guarantees. I know the club won't sign anyone for the sake of it. It would need to be someone who can really bring something to the squad and that is what the club are working on."

Another forward edging towards the exit is Mauro Icardi, with Galtier adding that the club are exploring options for the Argentina international regarding a transfer. 

"It has not been easy. His absence from the squad last week was down to a sporting choice, I saw him at the start of the week to say that I am going to make the squad smaller. I am not going to work with 25 players," Galtier explained.

"Whether he has offers that he might like, I don't know. The club is working on that, we're working with Icardi to find the best possible solution. He had very little playing time last season and I think it is important for him to do that.

"Whether he wants to play in the Champions League specifically, I don't know. In the interest of the club, we want him to find the best solution, which is a club where he can show his quality.

"He has had a tough couple of years and with his experience playing somewhere different and having a better atmosphere, that might allow him to get his career going again."

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Christophe Galtier has backed Lionel Messi to shake off last term's challenges and have a "great season" after opening the Ligue 1 campaign with a double.

Messi capped off PSG's 5-0 win at Clermont on Saturday with two late goals, including a spectacular over-head strike. Neymar, Achraf Hakimi and Marquinhos all scored in the first half.

The Argentine's double comes after he only managed 11 goals in all competitions in his first season in the French capital following his move from Barcelona, while he struggled to find cohesion alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe last term too.

"He had a bit of a difficult season last season, he had to fit in," Galtier told reporters.

"There was a radical change but in every season before that he has at least 30 goals.

"He went through a complete pre-season. When he has his bearing both in terms of his family life but also in terms of his club, the team and his fellow players, there is no reason why Leo should not have a great season."

Galtier, who took over at PSG from Mauricio Pochettino last month, was glowing in his praise of Messi having spoken at length during their pre-season tour of Japan.

"I spoke with Leo during our time in Japan and I also talked with my attacking players to make sure that he could perform well all the time," he said.

"Leo has a very sharp tactical sense, very clear. He has vision. He quickly sees where he has to go.

"The way he defends, the way he positions himself to play with others. He can get into the zone. He likes to play with the players he has around him.

"From there, when Leo smiles obviously, the team smiles too."

PSG are in action next weekend in the league at home to Montpellier.

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Christophe Galtier confirmed Kylian Mbappe's absence from their Ligue 1 opener was precautionary, with the star striker set to return next week.

The France international sat out the first game of PSG's title defence just under a week on from missing their Trophee des Champions triumph over Nantes.

Mbappe's absence was not particularly felt on Saturday, as a Lionel Messi double and a superb four-goal-involvement performance from Neymar helped PSG to a 5-0 rout of Clermont Foot.

But speaking to Canal+ afterwards, Galtier has assuaged fears the 23-year-old could be a long-term absentee, acknowledging he could have risked him had it been a high-stakes game.

Asked if Mbappe could be back next weekend, Galtier said: "Yes, I think so. He had a little problem, [and] we didn't want to take any risks.

"Obviously, if we had been playing a difficult game or a Champions League game, Kylian might have participated.

"We preferred to delay his return and he will be with us obviously, I think, against Montpellier."

PSG will play their first home game of the season against Montpellier next Saturday, with the club hoping to make it three competitive wins on the bounce under their new boss.

Christophe Galtier has told Paris Saint-Germain's superstars that a team that defends together can win big together.

New head coach Galtier believes squad spirit is contagious, and that such togetherness holds the key to getting the best out of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi this season.

The man now at the helm at Parc des Princes watched the PSG trio from afar last term, while bossing Nice. They spluttered at times as a combination when they were widely expected to take French and European football by storm.

Rarely have such a starry trio belonged to the same club at the same time, and they will be expected to better last season's performance as PSG again go after their holy grail: Champions League glory.

In Ligue 1 last season, Mbappe rattled in 28 goals in 35 games, but Neymar again missed chunks of the campaign and finished with 13 goals in 22 outings in the competition, while former Barcelona captain Messi hit the back of the net just six times in 26 league appearances, despite having an expected goals (xG) tally of 11.4.

Mbappe was absent through suspension for the 4-0 Trophee des Champions thrashing of Nantes last weekend. Messi opened the scoring, Neymar added a double, and Sergio Ramos completed the rout as Galtier, who took over from the sacked Mauricio Pochettino in July, picked up early silverware.

When the Parisians head to Clermont for their league opener on Saturday, Mbappe will be available once more, and that means in all likelihood the front three will be reunited.

"It's a pleasure to have Kylian Mbappe back for the first league game," said Galtier. "He's been involved in our pre-season."

Galtier was asked directly about what the key would be to getting the best out of the front three, but the coach took a tangential path to offering his view, and in doing so indicated he perhaps expects extra effort from Mbappe, Messi and Neymar when it comes to contributing all over the pitch.

"In terms of our defensive set-up we have a collective desire and responsibility. Also, as individuals. There can be periods in matches where it is very tight and the team hasn't yet got on top of the opposition in terms of the scoreline or finding spaces," Galtier said.

"We want to be very focused on not letting the opposition affect our style of play. We have a priority as a team and as individuals.

"When you have team-mates making a big effort, of course, that is contagious, and it means the players around them want to make the same effort. So we need to make sure this is what happens.

"There might be moments in games where it is not going so well. The midfield and defence might need to accept that there can be periods of the game where, for whatever reason, these attackers might find it hard to get back, or that could also go for the wing-backs.

"We have to accept that we all have to defend together, but sometimes the players who might be involved in the first stage of recovery with our pressing game might not be in the right position. So we have to do everything we can to create time for them to get back into the right position in our defensive block."

Galtier said he and PSG would benefit from the experience of former Real Madrid captain Ramos, who spent the majority of his first season with the club on the sidelines due to injury woes.

"It is always good to have players like him, and they can bring their experience," said Galtier. "Professionalism. That is what they bring to their team-mates, and to me they also have experiences that I haven't had, so I can learn from that, and they might also have answers to questions that I am asking myself."

In Clermont's debut Ligue 1 season last term, they were beaten 4-0 and 6-1 by PSG on the way to finishing 17th, just avoiding the drop.

PSG have won each of their past seven opening games in Ligue 1, a sequence which has only previously been surpassed by Marseille (10) and Bordeaux (9).

This will be PSG's 50th season in Ligue 1, and it brings them an opportunity to land an 11th league title, which would take them ahead of Saint-Etienne to become the outright most successful team in the competition's history. Anything less would be considered a failure.

Paris Saint-Germain are poised to complete the signing of Renato Sanches, with coach Christophe Galtier hailing the "explosive qualities" of the Lille midfielder.

Speaking in a news conference on Thursday, Galtier said Sanches would give him fresh options in midfield, believing the 24-year-old Portugal international will bring added dynamism.

Italian champions Milan were also keen on Sanches, but a deal with PSG appears to be all but over the line.

It will mean the former Benfica, Bayern Munich and Swansea City player comes in as PSG look set to offload Georginio Wijnaldum to Roma and Idrissa Gueye to Everton.

Head coach Galtier said: "Renato Sanches is a player with qualities that others do not have, particularly if I compare him with Marco Verratti and Vitinha. He is an explosive player who makes a difference on the pitch with his runs."

Galtier said PSG were pleased to have observed the availability of Sanches and "taken that opportunity" to go in for him. The PSG boss worked with Sanches at Lille previously, collaborating in the club's 2020-21 title-winning season.

"He is arriving quite late on. I don't think he has played much in his preparation games because he was expecting to move clubs, so he will be a bit behind the others," Galtier said.

"He is a completely different player in terms of his explosive qualities and his ability to break the lines in the midfield, and he can also make a big impact defensively."

Reigning French champions PSG travel to face Clermont in their Ligue 1 opener on Saturday, as they begin their pursuit of what would be a record 11th Ligue 1 title.

Five years ago to the day, Paris Saint-Germain sent shockwaves across world football by paying a world-record amount to bring in Brazil superstar Neymar from LaLiga heavyweights Barcelona.

The €222million PSG splashed out on Neymar remains by far and away the most any team has ever paid for a player. Next on that list? Kylian Mbappe, who swapped Monaco for PSG that same transfer window, initially on loan, for a fee rising to €180m.

Indeed, across the past five years, the Parisians' gross outlay has hit a whopping €792m, which is around 40 per cent more than the preceding five-year period. If it was not clear enough upon Qatar Sports Investments' takeover in 2011, PSG will not stop in their pursuit of becoming the world's best team.

Yet here we are, more than a decade on from that acquisition going through, five years on from Mbappe and Neymar arriving, and 12 months on from Lionel Messi – the greatest player to have ever played the game in the view of many – joining from Barcelona, and PSG have very little to show for it.

Even consistently winning Ligue 1 has been a struggle across that period, with Lille and Monaco each finishing top over the past six seasons, while only once have they made it as far as the Champions League final – never mind winning the thing.

But after a period of change at the Parc des Princes, in which a new head coach and football advisor have been hired, the French giants appear ready to take a different approach on and off the field.

A winning combo

Falling at the last-16 stage of the Coupe de France and the Champions League in particular last season cost head coach Mauricio Pochettino his job after just 18 months in charge.

After a failed attempt to appoint Zinedine Zidane, who is seemingly intent on replacing Didier Deschamps as the next manager of the France national side, PSG opted against another big-name appointment and instead hired Christophe Galtier.

Tellingly, Galtier's appointment was made on the back of Luis Campos taking up a position as de facto sporting director, effectively tasked with overseeing all transfer activity. The pair previously worked together at Lille to create the team that pipped PSG to the Ligue 1 title by a point in 2020-21.

Three-time Ligue 1 Manager of the Year Galtier departed Lille for Nice days after that stunning title triumph, though he lasted just a single season on the French Riviera, the highlight being a run to the Coupe de France final, where they were beaten 1-0 by Nantes.

As for Campos, it was not only at Lille that he had great success, having also helped bring the likes of James Rodriguez, Fabinho, Anthony Martial, Bernardo Silva, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Thomas Lemar to Monaco in his previous job.

The bling days are over

Campos clearly has an eye for a player, then, and that has been reflected in PSG's transfer activity in a different kind of window this time around. The marquee signing of Messi last year has made way for the arrivals of Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Hugo Ekitike and Nordi Mukiele heading into the 2022-23 season.

Even accounting for the €38m and €41.5m PSG handed over for the first two of those players alone, neither fit into the category of signing we have become accustomed to seeing at the Parc des Princes.

This is a clear tactic from the club, with president Nasser Al-Khelaifi himself admitting in an interview with Le Parisien earlier this year that "dreaming is one thing, reality is another", and that PSG no longer "want to be flashy or bling-bling; it's the end of the glitter".

Instead, Galtier will look to integrate hungry quartet Mendes, Vitinha, Ekitike and Mukiele into his squad, which already contains an all-star cast of talent across the field, most notably in attack where Messi, Mbappe and Neymar form one of the great all-time trios.

On paper, at least, as the front three did not exactly click last season in the manner many were expecting and Galtier has remained coy on the subject of Neymar's future since replacing Pochettino.

Sixth manager lucky in quest for Champions League crown?

With a new head coach comes a new approach, and Galtier was quick to implement a code of conduct for PSG's pre-season tour of Japan. Not only that, the 55-year-old made clear at his first news conference in charge exactly what he expects from every player.

"I want to see intensity, rhythm, and the players winning the ball back quickly high up the pitch," he said. "I haven't met the players yet but I've spoken with the management about what I want to do: demanding, hard work, respect, and the team above all. 

"No player will be above the team. My objective is that this sum of talents becomes a great team with great strength. I am convinced that together we can have the best season possible. If players step out of this framework, they will be cast aside."

To put it simply, the dynamic around PSG has completely altered in the space of two short months. Whether the change in direction pays off will ultimately not be answered until further down the line.

But having failed to achieve their aim of winning the Champions League with Carlo Ancelotti, Laurent Blanc, Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel and Pochettino, PSG's wealthy backers believe the appointment of Campos and Galtier is ultimately a gamble worth taking.

Christophe Galtier praised Paris Saint-Germain's "desire" after they won the Trophee des Champions with a resounding 4-0 victory over Nantes on Sunday.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, before Neymar doubled their advantage with a fine free-kick.

Sergio Ramos added a third, with Neymar grabbing his second from the penalty spot late on after an incident that saw Jean-Charles Castelletto dismissed.

PSG reclaimed the Trophee des Champions after their streak of eight consecutive wins was ended by Lille last season, and Galtier was delighted with his side's application in his first competitive game at the helm.

"We played a very serious match and I like the fact that we approached with great desire and determination," he told Amazon Prime Video. 

"We created some good chances at the start of the match and they had one or two of their own. 

"We were consistent and I saw players making a lot of effort; that's important to me. It's a great victory. It's good to bring the trophy back to Paris."

PSG cruised to the Ligue 1 title last season, yet they came under heavy criticism after throwing away a two-goal aggregate lead to crash out of the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid at the last 16 stage.

That ultimately led to Mauricio Pochettino losing his job at the end of the campaign, and Galtier says he has seen enough during his brief tenure at the club to suggest the players are ready to right last season's wrongs.

"I think PSG were criticised last season when they were champions," he added. 

"These are players that I have observed a lot, with whom I discuss things. There must be a group dynamic, a team. What we have done over the past four or five weeks has gone very well.

"You have to be focused; the slightest word that derails goes around the world. 

"We have frank, direct exchanges with the players. We talk a lot about world stars but they are above all players, who like to play, who want to win trophies. We must help them without compromise."

PSG start their Ligue 1 defence away at Clermont on Saturday. 

Paris Saint-Germain confirmed the signing of RB Leipzig defender Nordi Mukiele on Tuesday as coach Christophe Galtier continued to shape his side.

Mukiele appeared destined to become a PSG player when Leipzig announced he had been granted absence from their squad for the DFL-Supercup due to ongoing transfer negotiations on Monday.

Despite reports of late interest from Chelsea, PSG sealed the acquisition of the 24-year-old and will reportedly pay an initial €12million fee, which could reach a total of €16million with add-ons included.

Mukiele has signed a five-year deal at the Parc des Princes, becoming the third new arrival of the transfer window after midfielder Vitinha and striker Hugo Ekitike, while left-back Nuno Mendes made his loan from Sporting CP permanent.

Speaking to PSG's website, Mukiele said: "When I found out that Paris were interested in me and that they wanted me to come here, I had to think about it because it's very important.

"It's a very big step in my career, it's not a choice to be taken lightly. But I think and I'm sure I made the right choice."

Mukiele made 28 appearances – 21 of them starts – as Leipzig finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season, contributing to the side matching Bayern Munich as the competition's best defensive side.

No Bundesliga team conceded fewer than their 37 goals across the 2021-22 campaign, while only Bayern and Wolfsburg (both 11) bettered their tally of 10 clean sheets.

PSG won three out of three fixtures during a pre-season tour of Japan, though Galtier expressed frustration with their defending after Monday's 6-2 rout of Gamba Osaka.

Mukiele, who is capable of playing at full-back and centre-back, is expected to challenge for a spot in a three-man backline next season.

New Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier has admitted he is uncertain about Neymar's future, despite the forward's desire to stay at the club.

The 30-year-old Brazil international is reportedly free to leave the French capital, though the former Barcelona man is not pushing for an exit.

Neymar has three years remaining on his PSG contract and stated on Saturday that he is happy to remain with the Ligue 1 champions.

Galtier revealed he is not sure if Neymar will be part of his squad for the 2022-23 season.

"Neymar is happy, he has been working well since the beginning of the pre-season," he said after the 3-0 win against Urawa Red Diamonds.

"What will happen in the near future when the transfer window closes, I don't know.

"We announce he's leaving, we announce he's staying - I haven't spoken to Ney about this. But he doesn't seem to be bothered about what is said about him and his situation at the club."

Neymar scored 13 Ligue 1 goals for PSG last season as they reclaimed the title but has not scored in the knockout stages of the Champions League since March 2020, when he was on target against Borussia Dortmund.