Kylian Mbappe: Luis Enrique tight-lipped over PSG star's future plans - 'The club is above any individual'

Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique remained tight-lipped over the future of Kylian Mbappe but insisted “the team are above any individual” at a news conference.

Reports emerged this week that Mbappe has told PSG that he intends to bring his stay in the French capital to an end this summer, with his contract due to expire amid strong links to Real Madrid.

However, Enrique refused to be drawn on the situation ahead of PSG’s Ligue 1 clash away to Nantes on Saturday.

"Listen, I'm going to try to finish with this subject so that I don't raise it until the parties involved have given their opinion, and I'm not going to comment on it," Enrique told his press conference on Friday.

"The parties involved have not yet given their opinion. Kylian Mbappe hasn't said anything publicly, nor has anyone else at the club.

"So I'm the coach. When the parties speak, I'll give you my opinion, but we're continuing to work so that we can continue to be a better team every year.

"We've always said, ever since I arrived here six months ago, that the team is above everyone else, above all the individuals, and that's the same policy for the whole club.

"That's our message: the club and the team are above any individual. From that point onwards, when the parties involved give their opinion, I think it's these people who should speak, from that point onwards, as coach, I will give my opinion."

PSG are 11 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table from Nice and have a game in hand over their rivals as they bid for a 10th title in 12 years.

Mbappe has netted 20 times domestically and 31 times in all competitions, further underlining his credentials as one of the deadliest strikers in world football.

But there has been unrest between player and club in recent seasons. The 25-year-old, who moved to the Parc des Princes from Monaco in September 2017 for £165.7 million, appeared determined to force a move away last summer before eventually agreeing a contract extension that would allow the club to receive a fee for his departure.

With the saga set to resume, Enrique isn’t worried by the potential for it to be a distraction, insisting instead that it is simply part and parcel of being at such a high-profile club.

“The atmosphere in training is just like it was before any game, and in this case, it is ahead of Nantes. It was a normal training session without any news,” Enrique added.

“I am not worried at all. There are always rumours surrounding the club, you have to know how to manage that. There will always be criticism and praise.

“That is all normal. There is controversy too, we know that. If you don't like that you can’t be at a club like this.”

Madrid is seen as the likeliest destination for Mbappe, but Mikel Arteta didn’t rule out Arsenal making a move for the Frenchman, although he hinted it was unlikely to materialise.

“When there is a player of that calibre we always have to be in the conversation, but as you said, it looks in a different way,” Arteta said.

Asked if he was in discussions with the player, he added: “I am not. Maybe Edu and the owners are but I am not in those conversations until the last stage.

“If we want to be the best team we’re going to need the best talent and the best players, that is for sure.”

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