Real Madrid's new signing Aurelien Tchouameni has revealed that Kylian Mbappe tried to persuade him to join Paris Saint-Germain.
The 22-year-old was officially unveiled by Madrid on Tuesday having completed a €100million move to the Santiago Bernabeu from Monaco, with Carlo Ancelotti's side winning the race for the highly coveted midfielder.
Mbappe, having already snubbed Madrid this window to pen a new deal with PSG, tried to strike again to frustrate Los Blancos by attempting to persuade his compatriot to move to the French capital.
"Kylian knew I was leaving Monaco and he wanted to know if I would join PSG," Tchouameni told a news conference. "But my first choice was Real Madrid and he understood that completely.
"It's true that I had the opportunity to choose, but as soon as I knew Madrid was interested, I didn't hesitate for a second. I want to leave a mark on the history of football and there is no better team for that than Real Madrid."
Other options were also on the table for Tchouameni, who confirmed he had received proposals from elsewhere, but he instructed his entourage to push a move to Madrid over the line.
"I had already spoken to other teams, but in my head I was waiting for the call from Madrid," he said. "And when they did, I didn't hesitate for a moment to talk to my family and agent to find the best deal. Being here is wonderful.
"As I said before, as soon as Real Madrid came out in the talks I directly told my agent to close that deal, it was what I wanted most. There were more options, but this is a dream that is fulfilled today."
Tchouameni will wear the number 18 shirt at Madrid – previously worn by Gareth Bale – as his favoured number eight top is taken by Toni Kroos.
Manchester City are looking to make a big midfield signing in this transfer window, with Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips reportedly at the top of their wish-list.
Phillips, 26, has been with Leeds his entire senior career, and excelled on the world stage when he started every game in England's run to the Euro 2020 final.
He was rewarded for his excellent international play with England's 2020-21 Senior Men's Player of the Year award, and may have the opportunity to parlay that into Champions League football at the Etihad Stadium.
TOP STORY – CITY SETS SIGHTS ON LEEDS' PHILLIPS
Phillips' stats of one goal and three assists in his past two Premier League campaigns do not tell the story of his impact, as he is arguably England's best defensive midfielder.
After 12 years with Leeds, Phillips has reportedly played his last game for the club, with The Sun claiming City have prepared a £60million bid.
ESPN mentions a factor working in Phillips' favour with City is that he will count as a homegrown player for Champions League purposes, and that Pep Guardiola views him as a strong fit for both the number-six and number-eight roles in his set-up.
ROUND-UP
– The Manchester Evening News is reporting Manchester United remain in discussions with Barcelona for Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, but they are not willing to pay the current £85m price-tag.
– Liverpool and City are both monitoring 17-year-old Barcelona midfielder Gavi, despite his release clause reportedly coming in at £85m, according to Marca.
– RB Leipzig have set a price of £100m for teams chasing Christopher Nkunku due to the Frenchman not desiring a move away this transfer period, with the Independent reporting interest remains from Arsenal, United and Paris Saint-Germain.
– According to the Telegraph, Newcastle United are moving on from Lille defender Sven Botman after the asking price was raised from £30m to £36m.
– The Telegraph is reporting that Tottenham have joined the race for Everton's Richarlison, with the asking price set at £50m.
There has not been a lot of movement among Inter's defensive stocks in recent years, with Milan Skriniar, Stefan De Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni providing continuity in front of Samir Handanovic.
Skriniar appears set to leave this off-season, however, after five years at the club.
The Nerazzurri are reportedly well-prepared in what looks set to be an active transfer window for them.
TOP STORY – INTER PLAN FOR SKRINIAR EXIT AS PSG MOVE NEARS
Inter have identified who they would want to replace Skriniar in the event he departs for PSG, according to Tuttosport and Corriere dello Sport.
Gleison Bremer and Nikola Milenkovic are viewed as possible replacements for the 27-year-old Slovakia international, as his move to Ligue 1 appears increasingly likely.
Skriniar's priority is to remain with Inter, where he has been since 2017 after signing from Sampdoria, but would not stand against a move to PSG if it helped Inter financially.
Bremer has reportedly already agreed personal terms with the Nerazzurri, while Milenkovic's agent met with club representatives this week.
ROUND-UP
– Roma and Lazio are both keen to sign Napoli forward Dries Mertens, whose contract expires this off-season, according to Corriere dello Sport.
– Denzel Dumfries is open to leaving Inter in order to join Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, the Daily Mail reports.
– Meanwhile, the Nerazzurri are set to sign Paulo Dybala on a three-year deal with his contract at Juventus expiring, per Goal.
– Bild claims that Jonjoe Kenny has committed to joining Hertha Berlin on a free transfer from Everton.
Paris Saint-Germain defender Presnel Kimpembe has asked the club to explain its "project" and what his role will be in it ahead of contract negotiations.
The 26-year-old started has become a central figure in PSG's first team, making 41 appearances across all competitions in the 2021-22 campaign.
However, it has been suggested that the French giants are in the market for a new centre-back, with Inter's Milan Skriniar rumoured to be on their radar.
In turn, Premier League side Chelsea – managed by former PSG boss Thomas Tuchel – are said to have expressed an interest in acquiring Kimpembe if they are unable to sign his France team-mate Jules Kounde from Sevilla.
Earlier this month, Kimpembe cast doubt on his future when saying it was a "key moment" in his career, with only two years left on his contract.
Some perceived it to be a hint that he was potentially angling for a move, and while he did look to clarify his comments on Sunday, Kimpembe reiterated the importance of knowing PSG's vision for him.
Speaking ahead of France's Nations League clash with Croatia on Monday, Kimpembe said: "I told PSG that I'm almost 27 years old, that my next contract will be decisive and that I wanted to know what the club's project was.
"I didn't say anything bad. I arrived at the club when I was 9-10 years old. I think it makes sense to ask what the future project is and what role I'll be given within it.
"But, at the moment, I'm focused on the French team and [Monday's] match to finish this season well."
Robert Lewandowski's transfer away from Bayern Munich is becoming an increasingly likely scenario this off-season.
Leaving Bayern for Barcelona has always been the intent for the striker, but other things need to fall into place for it to happen.
In the event the deal falls through, though, there is a reported suitor looking to take advantage.
TOP STORY – MANCHESTER UNITED JOIN RACE FOR LEWANDOWSKI
Manchester United will look to swoop if Lewandowski's move to Barcelona falls flat, according to The Sun.
The Poland striker has his heart set on a move to the Camp Nou, despite having a year left on his deal at Bayern.
The move to Barcelona will be dependent on the Blaugrana moving on some of their higher earners first, with Frenkie de Jong and Ousmane Dembele linked with transfers elsewhere.
The 33-year-old is still scoring with intimidating regularity, bagging 50 goals in 46 games for Bayern in all competitions last season.
ROUND-UP– Christopher Nkunku is set to sign a new contract with RB Leipzig, warding off interest from United and Chelsea, Leipziger Volkszeitung reports.
– Paris Saint-Germain are insisting on a move for Inter's Milan Skriniar, although the clubs are yet to agree on a transfer fee, according to Fabrizio Romano.
– Tottenham are in advanced negotiations to sign Everton and Brazil forward Richarlison, per UOL Esporte.
– Paul Pogba will return to Juventus on a four-year deal following his contract expiry with United, Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting.
Real Madrid have agreed a deal for Monaco star Aurelien Tchouameni, who has reached terms on a six-year contract.
The Champions League holders will reportedly pay an €80million fee that could rise to €100m with add-ons for the France midfielder.
A short statement from Los Blancos read: "Real Madrid CF and AS Monaco have agreed on the transfer of the player Aurelien Tchouameni, who will be linked to the club for the next six seasons.
"Next Tuesday, June 14, at 12:00 at Real Madrid City, the presentation ceremony for Aurelien Tchouameni as a new Real Madrid player will take place after the corresponding medical examination."
Tchouameni emerged as one of the brightest young stars in European football last season.
He enjoyed a superb campaign as Monaco secured Champions League qualification with a third-placed finish in Ligue 1.
Tchouameni played 35 times for Monaco in Ligue 1, scoring three goals and providing two assists. He also found the net in the Coupe de France and Champions League.
The 22-year-old Tchouameni represents a threat at both ends of the pitch.
No Monaco player produced more successful passes in the opposition half than Tchouameni's 932, which put him seventh in Ligue 1.
He was fifth in Ligue 1 in tackles with 86 while his 260 duels won put him third in the division.
Tchouameni may have to wait for his opportunity to impact the Madrid midfield, which has a wealth of options.
Luka Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos occupied the midfield for Madrid's 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final.
Federico Valverde played in a more advanced role in that game but is experienced in the heart of midfield, an area from which Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga made valuable contributions to Madrid's LaLiga and Champions League double last season.
The competition for places will likely limit his minutes next season, but Tchouameni could hardly ask for better mentors after signing on as an heir apparent to Kroos and Modric.
Real Madrid have agreed a deal for Monaco star Aurelien Tchouameni, who has reached terms on a six-year contract.
The Champions League holders will reportedly pay an €80million fee that could rise to €100m with add-ons for the France midfielder.
A short statement from Los Blancos read: "Real Madrid CF and AS Monaco have agreed on the transfer of the player Aurelien Tchouameni, who will be linked to the club for the next six seasons.
"Next Tuesday, June 14, at 12:00 at Real Madrid City, the presentation ceremony for Aurelien Tchouameni as a new Real Madrid player will take place after the corresponding medical examination."
Tchouameni emerged as one of the brightest young stars in European football last season.
He enjoyed a superb campaign as Monaco secured Champions League qualification with a third-placed finish in Ligue 1.
Tchouameni played 35 times for Monaco in Ligue 1, scoring three goals and providing two assists. He also found the net in the Coupe de France and Champions League.
The 22-year-old Tchouameni represents a threat at both ends of the pitch.
No Monaco player produced more successful passes in the opposition half than Tchouameni's 932, which put him seventh in Ligue 1.
He was fifth in Ligue 1 in tackles with 86 while his 260 duels won put him third in the division.
Tchouameni may have to wait for his opportunity to impact the Madrid midfield, which has a wealth of options.
Luka Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos occupied the midfield for Madrid's 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final.
Federico Valverde played in a more advanced role in that game but is experienced in the heart of midfield, an area from which Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga made valuable contributions to Madrid's LaLiga and Champions League double last season.
The competition for places will likely limit his minutes next season, but Tchouameni could hardly ask for better mentors after signing on as an heir apparent to Kroos and Modric.
Paris Saint-Germain have appointed Luis Campos as their new football advisor.
The Ligue 1 champions on Friday confirmed the arrival of Campos, who made a big impact as sporting director at Monaco and Lille.
There has been no official announcement of Leonardo's supposed PSG exit, but the appointment of Campos all but confirms the end of the Brazilian sporting director's time in the French capital.
PSG stated that Portuguese Campos will focus on "performance, recruitment, and organisational" responsibilities with the Parisian giants.
"I am delighted to be joining Paris Saint-Germain, which I consider is the most ambitious and exciting club in world football," Campos said.
"I believe strongly in and share the vision of the club and I cannot wait to get started to further unleash the great potential of this exceptional club."
The 57-year-old joins PSG amid seemingly constant speculation over the future of head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Zinedine Zidane continues to be linked with the hotseat at the Parc des Princes.
The 2021-22 season may still be ongoing at international level, but Premier League and Ligue 1 clubs can officially register new signings for the next campaign following the opening of the transfer window on Friday.
Teams in LaLiga, Serie A and the Bundesliga must wait until July 1 for their business to go through – though that is not to say preparations are not already in full swing behind the scenes.
Indeed, a number of big deals are already in place and waiting to get the seal of approval, with Antonio Rudiger heading to Real Madrid and Karim Adeyemi brought in by Borussia Dortmund to replace Manchester City-bound Erling Haaland, while others – Darwin Nunez to Liverpool and Aurelien Tchouameni to Madrid – appear to be all-but complete.
One transfer saga came to an end before the window even officially opened, meanwhile, with Kylian Mbappe confirming that he is staying put at Paris Saint-Germain, despite strong interest from Madrid.
For others, there are weeks of uncertainty ahead. Having already picked out the big-name free agents up for grabs this window, Stats Perform looks at the transfer sagas that are likely to rumble on for a little while longer yet.
Player: Robert Lewandowski
Current club: Bayern Munich
Rumoured suitors: Barcelona, Real Madrid
While the futures of Mbappe and Haaland have already been resolved, arguably the world's best striker in Lewandowski is seeking pastures new after recently declaring that his time at Bayern "has come to an end" – even if the German champions do not quite see it that way.
The Poland international still has 12 months to run on his contract and Bayern are understandably reluctant to sell, even if that means forgoing a transfer fee in a year's time, making things particularly difficult for Barcelona, who are the rumoured frontrunners for his signature.
He was once again the hottest striker across Europe's top five leagues in 2021-22 when taking all competitions into account, the 33-year-old scoring 50 goals in 46 games for Bayern in what was his second-best goalscoring campaign across eight years in Bavaria, behind only the 55 netted in 2019-20.
Player: Sadio Mane
Current club: Liverpool
Rumoured suitors: Real Madrid
Whether it is to replace wantaway Lewandowski or to play alongside the prolific striker, Bayern are seemingly intent on bringing Liverpool and Senegal forward Mane to the Allianz Arena.
Bayern are reported to have had a second bid of €35.3million (£30m) turned down by Liverpool earlier this week, with the ball very much in the Reds' court – just like it is with the Bavarians and Lewandowski.
Mane would be a huge loss to Liverpool, having scored 90 goals in 196 Premier League appearances since joining at the start of 2016-17 – only Jamie Vardy (104), team-mate Mohamed Salah (118) and Harry Kane (134) have more – explaining their desire to snap up Nunez from Benfica.
Player: Gabriel Jesus
Current club: Manchester City
Rumoured suitors: Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Real Madrid
Manchester City striker Jesus may just about be the most in-demand player up for grabs this window, with his agent confirming as many as seven clubs are interested in signing the Brazil international.
Arsenal are the only known team to be in discussions with Jesus' camp, though they are expected to face interest from the likes of rivals Tottenham and Chelsea, as well as reigning European and Spanish champions Madrid.
The stats reflect exactly why Jesus is so highly regarded – albeit not by City following the arrival of Haaland – as he has scored or assisted in 57 per cent of matches he has started in the Premier League, a figure bettered only by Salah (62 per cent), Thierry Henry (61 per cent) and City legend Sergio Aguero (60 per cent) among those to have started at least 10 games.
Player: Frenkie de Jong
Current club: Barcelona
Rumoured suitors: Manchester United
De Jong has not quite been able to match expectations at Barcelona since arriving from Ajax in a big-money deal two years ago, which the midfielder has regularly put down to being used out of position in central midfield.
The arrival of the Netherlands international's former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag at United has only intensified speculation that he could be on his way out of Camp Nou, with Barca themselves needing to offload players if they are to seriously strengthen elsewhere.
De Jong will leave a void to be filled if he does move on, though, as Sergio Busquets (51) was the only Barca outfielder to feature in more games in the 2021-22 campaign than the 25-year-old (47 apps).
Player: Christopher Nkunku
Current club: RB Leipzig
Rumoured suitors: Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid
Nkunku well and truly burst onto the scene in the 2021-22 campaign with a combined 51 goals and assists in 52 games for Leipzig across all competitions, meaning he near enough directly contributed to a goal per game.
Only Europe's absolute elite players, Lewandowski (56 goal involvements), Benzema (59) and Mbappe (60), outperformed Nkunku in that regard, making links with Europe's top clubs unsurprising.
Still aged only 24, the four-cap France international may well be a Ballon d'Or winner in waiting if his trajectory over the past couple of seasons is anything to go by. But with two years to run on his Leipzig contract, it will take a huge sum for the Bundesliga side to even consider cashing in.
Alexandre Lacazette has urged Corentin Tolisso to follow his lead by returning to Lyon.
Lacazette, 31, was presented as a Lyon player on Thursday after the club confirmed he is re-joining from Arsenal when his Gunners contract expires at the end of June.
The France striker spent five years in north London after leaving Lyon in 2017 in a deal the Ligue 1 club claim was worth €60million (£51.3m).
It was confirmed on Thursday that he has signed a three-year deal with his former club, though it would seem he may not be the only Lyon youth product to return to the Groupama Stadium.
Tolisso left for Bayern Munich the same year Lacazette departed, and while he won a host of titles, including five Bundesliga crowns and the Champions League, his spell in Germany was an injury-interrupted disappointment.
Only once did he manage to appear in more than half of Bayern's league games, and it was confirmed at the end of May that Tolisso, 27, was to depart at the end of June once his contract had finished.
And, speaking during his presentation, Lacazette told the midfielder where he should head next.
He said: "Above all, I want to help the club get back to the top of the pile. I spoke with the coach, he called me last week. He told me what he expected of me. I don't need the armband to talk in the locker room.
"There have been many changes since I left. The club is progressing well. Anthony [Lopes], he's been writing to me every week for six months to find out if I've made my decision. I also push for Corentin Tolisso to come back."
Lacazette's return means he could yet become Lyon's all-time leading goalscorer.
During his first spell at the club, he netted 129 times – the record, set by Fleury Di Nallo in 1974, is 222.
He could not hide that the record is at the back of his mind but stressed it is not his main objective.
"I thank the president, Vincent [Ponsot, director of football] and Bruno [Cheyrou, technical director], but above all for the welcome and the love you have shown me in recent weeks. It was obvious to me [to return]," he said.
"Despite the absence of the Champions League, the project was more important than anything else.
"I felt I could be useful in the locker room and on the pitch in this project, so it was the best decision.
"It's exciting to come back. I can't wait to start the season. I have progressed in my leadership, I gained experience.
"The ranking of goalscorers in OL's history is in the back of my head, but it's not the priority."
Alexandre Lacazette will rejoin Lyon on a free transfer from Arsenal, despite the Ligue 1 side not qualifying for European football next season.
Lacazette moved from Lyon to Arsenal in 2017 for an initial €60million (£51.3m) fee on a five-year contract, which comes to its end in June.
The 31-year-old previously suggested he would be open to re-signing for Lyon, adding in April he was in discussion with "many clubs".
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas responded by stating "if we need to make compromises to get [Lacazette], we will", while director of football Vincent Ponsot outlined his desire to bring the forward back home.
And Peter Bosz's team, who finished eighth in Ligue 1 this season, have managed to seal the France international's return to his boyhood club, announcing on Thursday that Lacazette has signed three-year deal.
Lacazette endured a frustrating campaign in front of goal this season as Arsenal missed out on Champions League qualification to fierce rivals Tottenham.
The striker played 30 Premier League games but only scored four times, his worst return since the 2012-13 term when he managed only league three goals for Lyon.
However, Lacazette provided a creative force for Mikel Arteta's team, sitting joint-top of the assists chart with Bukayo Saka on seven.
Lacazette also ranked sixth for chances created at Arsenal, with his 29 placing him behind Emile Smith Rowe (30), Granit Xhaka (32), Gabriel Martinelli (34), Saka (68) and Martin Odegaard (77).
Bosz will hope Lacazette can deliver that creativity for Lyon next season and find his feet in front of goal, given he was the last non-Paris Saint-Germain player to finish as Ligue 1's outright top scorer (27 goals in 2014-15).
The seemingly never-ending 2021-22 season may be ongoing, with a number of big international fixtures still to be played this month, but plenty of focus is already on the next campaign.
This month's conclusion will mark the end of an era for many players as their contracts come to an end – though for some it will provide a much-needed opportunity to begin a new chapter elsewhere.
For others, becoming a free agent simply provides more bargaining power when negotiating fresh terms with their current employers, at a time when most clubs cannot spend as frivolously on new players as they once could.
While some big-name freebies have already moved clubs, and others are reported to have signed pre-contract agreements elsewhere – such as Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen at Barcelona – others remain on the market.
Here, Stats Perform picks out some of those who are on the lookout for a new club.
Player: Paul Pogba
Current club: Manchester United
Rumoured suitors: Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain
United last week announced the departures of six players, with Juan Mata, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard and Pogba among them. While the first three of those will undoubtedly be of interest to teams across the continent, Pogba is arguably the most in-demand free agent around.
Juventus reportedly lead the way for the France international, who won eight trophies in four seasons with the Serie A giants prior to rejoining United in 2016. Whichever side of the divide you stand – that Pogba has too often been used out of position or is just simply not good enough – there is no denying his second spell at Old Trafford has not gone to plan.
Still, with 67 goals and assists in the Premier League since the start of 2016-17, United are waving goodbye to a player who has been involved in 17.5 per cent of their goals across that period – only Marcus Rashford (21.9 per cent) has directly contributed to more.
Player: Gareth Bale
Current club: Real Madrid
Rumoured suitors: Cardiff City, Getafe, MLS clubs
As the winner of 16 trophies across nine seasons at Madrid – one of those spent on loan at Tottenham – and still aged just 32, you would imagine Bale would have the pick of the world's top clubs to choose from in the upcoming transfer window.
But that is not quite the case, with hometown club Cardiff City and Madrid-based Getafe now considered the two favourites to land the Wales international. That does come with a caveat of sorts, though, as Bale's main focus is on entering November's World Cup with Wales in peak fitness, rather than adding to his trophy collection.
The forward has had a number of injury setbacks in recent years but, wherever he plies his trade next season, he will want to play more football than he did in 2021-22 when available. He featured in just seven of Madrid's 56 matches, totalling 290 minutes on the field, and started only four of those – seven per cent of all minutes Madrid played.
Player: Ousmane Dembele
Current club: Barcelona
Rumoured suitors: Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool
Barcelona were eager to get Dembele off their books in January, so much so that director of football Mateu Alemany publicly told the France international to find a new club "immediately". Five months on, after a strong second half to the 2021-22 season, Barca would like nothing more than to retain Dembele's services.
The former Borussia Dortmund attacker assisted 11 LaLiga goals between the start of 2022 and the end of the season, a tally that no other player across Europe's top five leagues could match, with Lionel Messi next best on 10 with PSG in Ligue 1.
Re-signing Messi has been touted, but that seems fanciful a year on from his emotional exit, so Barca may well focus on tying Dembele down to a new deal before PSG – who also have another ex-Barcelona favourite in Neymar on their books – add to a star-studded frontline.
Player: Paulo Dybala
Current club: Juventus
Rumoured suitors: Arsenal, Tottenham, Barcelona
Juventus are coming off the back of their first trophyless season in a decade, and with it comes the end of an era in many ways as Giorgio Chiellini is departing after 18 years in Turin, while Federico Bernardeschi is also on his way out and seemingly set for Napoli.
However, the name on everyone's lips right now is Dybala's, even if the Argentina international has not fully lived up to the admittedly huge hype following his arrival at Juve from Palermo in a €40million transfer seven years ago.
Dybala can still be pleased enough with his goalscoring return at the Allianz Stadium, having netted 115 goals in 293 appearances in all competitions, making him the club's third-highest foreign goalscorer of all time behind David Trezeguet (171) and John Hansen (124).
Player: Angel Di Maria
Current club: Paris Saint-Germain
Rumoured suitors: Juventus, Barcelona
Di Maria signed off from PSG in the near-perfect manner with a goal and an assist in his final game for the club against Metz last month, though his importance clearly diminished following the arrival of Messi as he started just 19 Ligue 1 games last term, down from 23 in the two previous campaigns.
That performance against Metz, albeit in a dead-rubber, highlighted Di Maria's quality when used and it is perhaps little surprise that some big-name clubs are interested. A move to Juventus seemed a certainty not so long ago, but Barcelona are supposedly now the frontrunners for the 34-year-old.
Di Maria is not the only South American attacker available to sign on a free next month, either, as the aforementioned Cavani and Uruguay international team-mate Luis Suarez are also on the lookout for a new club following their exits from United and Atletico Madrid respectively.
Mauricio Pochettino is not concerned by speculation around his Paris Saint-Germain future, having grown used to the repeated reports of his imminent dismissal.
After another season in which PSG failed to win the Champions League, it has been reported the club will move on from both coach Pochettino and sporting director Leonardo.
While a host of coaches have been mooted as potential successors to Pochettino, former Monaco and Lille chief Luis Campos is the favourite to come in as Leonardo's replacement.
As things stand, though, PSG have not removed either man from his position.
And Pochettino claims he is still expecting to lead the team into next season, telling Esport3: "I have one year left on my contract and there are a lot of rumours. Every week I am fired.
"PSG is causing this kind of thing. The club is trying to reinvent itself. The president will soon explain his new project, but I am calm."
The former Tottenham manager is confident he has overcome the noise generated by PSG's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, having subsequently won Ligue 1.
"PSG are desperate to win the Champions League," he said. "The goal is to win it, and it is normal for 'storms' to be generated, but we reversed it by winning the league, just as [Manchester] City won it in England.
"With the expectations and the dressing room we have, it has been a continuous learning. We were one step away from eliminating Madrid – as were Chelsea, City and Liverpool.
"We won the same [at PSG] as [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Laurent] Blanc and other coaches, but there is a lot of impatience at the club."
Pochettino has been linked with the Barcelona job, now held by Xavi, throughout his coaching career, but he explained why that move could never happen.
"Neither my children nor my wife would have let me," he said, "and I have such strong ties to Espanyol that it would be impossible."
Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Erling Haaland are the three most valuable players in world football, according to research group CIES Football Observatory.
Mbappe comes in as the most valuable having had a stellar season with Paris Saint-Germain, with 60 goal involvements (39 goals, 21 assists) in 46 games in all competitions.
Vinicius won the LaLiga and Champions League double with Real Madrid, while Haaland is soon to make a lucrative move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City after scoring 86 goals in 89 games during his time in Germany.
Mbappe turned down a move to Madrid to sign a new three-year deal with PSG last month, and the France international and World Cup winner is valued at an estimated €205.6million (£175.7m) by the CIES.
Vinicius is second at €185.5m (£158.3m), while Haaland supposedly has a value of €152.9m (£130.4m) despite costing City just €60m (£51m) thanks to a release clause.
The rest of the top 10 includes Barcelona trio Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Ferran Torres, City's Phil Foden and Ruben Dias, Dortmund's Jude Bellingham and Liverpool's Luis Diaz.
CIES' research is based on a range of measures such as age, value of club, level of player performance and inflation.
The CIES report states: "The statistical model to estimate the transfer values for players from teams of the five major European leagues was built from a sample of 1,790 paid transfers carried out between July 2012 and January 2020.
"The correlation between the sums paid and estimated is greater than 80 per cent. This shows that the variables taken into account explain more than four-fifths of the gaps in the level of fees paid for transfers included in the model."
Top 10 valued players in world football (according to CIES Football Observatory)
1. Kylian Mbappe (PSG) - €205.6m (£175.7m)
2. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) - €185.5m (£158.3m)
3. Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) - €152.9m (£130.4m)
4. Pedri (Barcelona) - €135.1m (£115.4m)
5. Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund) - €133.7m (£114.2m)
6. Phil Foden (Man City) - €124.0m (£105.9m)
7. Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona) - €112.5m (£96.1m)
8. Luis Diaz (Liverpool) - €110.1m (£94.0m)
9. Ruben Dias (Man City) - €109.6m (£93.6m)
10. Ferran Torres (Barcelona) - €109.5m (£93.5m)
Angel Di Maria has indicated Mauricio Pochettino will be sacked as part of a "big change" at Paris Saint-Germain before the start of next season.
Pochettino is contracted to PSG until 2023, but it has long since been reported that his job is under threat.
Roma boss Jose Mourinho is the latest name to be linked with the Ligue 1 champions, while there has been no shortage of speculation that Zinedine Zidane could replace head coach Pochettino.
Di Maria has played his final game for Parisian giants with his contract expiring at the end of this month and the winger suggested Pochettino could also be on his way out.
The Argentina international told TyC Sports: "There are other players who will surely leave. Mine was the easiest because they didn't have to renew [his contract].
"On the one hand it hurt and on the other, no. I left in a very special way. It was an unforgettable night [Di Maria was given a standing ovation when he was substituted in a 5-0 thrashing of Metz], that an Argentine in another country has a farewell like mine, not everyone does.
"The affection of the PSG fans, the ones behind the goal, is the most difficult thing to achieve. That I go outside, that they sing for me alone and having made a mural for me to sign are things that remain in the memory."
He added: "It seems like they also want the coach to leave. There will be a very big change, but I think [Lionel] Messi knew how to understand it.
"It will help him to be much better next season. I think it will start very well because he ended up scoring goals, giving assists, feeling very comfortable and adapting more and more."
Di Maria has been linked with Juventus and Barcelona after becoming a free agent.
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