Lionel Messi blamed for forcing Kylian Mbappe out of PSG as transfer exit looms

Paris Saint-Germain ’s high-profile signing of Lionel Messi this summer has helped make up Kylian Mbappe ’s mind on leaving the club, claim reports from France.

Mbappe’s last-minute winner securing a first leg victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday evening in a game which saw Messi saw his penalty effort saved by Thibaut Courtois.

Striker Mbappe is out of contract at the Parc des Princes this summer and he has recently hinted at a move to Madrid while a recent interview suggested that he is open to leaving France.

There has even been reports that PSG are willing to make the 23-year-old their highest earning player by offering him improved terms on Messi’s and Neymar’s respective contracts.

However, with just over four months of his contract at the Parc des Princes remaining, there is increasing pessimism that the striker will leave as a free agent this summer to move to the Spanish capital.

An editorial in Le Parisien penned by Benoît Lallement has outlined that all the signs indicate that Mbappe is poised to leave the French capital this summer.

They take aim at the club’s decision to sign Messi this summer as not only did it break-up the effective attacking partnership between Mbappe and Neymar, but also changed the Frenchman’s status in the dressing room.

The addition of the Argentine superstar meant that he became the most recognisable player in the dressing room and without question, the highest profile and status of the players.

Mbappe has netted 22 goals and provided 16 assists this campaign, making him indisputably the star player of Mauricio Pochettino’s side – without his goal involvements, the side would be struggling to win games.

This change in status is said to have impacted Mbappe’s mentality and