Mbappe happy to let Messi play in his position and become PSG’s leading man

Kylian Mbappe is happy to let Lionel Messi become Paris Saint-Germain’s leading man in a central attacking position, with the France international willing to play a support role on the wings.

The World Cup winner has been deployed across Mauricio Pochettino’s front three this season, but is at his most effective when operating down the middle or from the left.

Mbappe has occupied both of those berths when lining up in the same XI as Messi, but was moved wider for a 5-1 win over defending Ligue 1 champions Lille on Sunday – with a couple of superstar forwards getting their names on the scoresheet.

Mbappe was asked by Amazon Prime Video on whether Messi is at his most destructive when playing down the middle, and said on the back of a stunning performance from PSG: “I'm not a coach, but Leo is a player who needs to touch the ball, to feel the game and the match.

“I think it's a good position for him. He is free, he can move, pick up the ball, he is close to the goal.

“Beyond that, I can play everywhere. I have started in the middle, on the right, I played on the left, I still have a certain freedom in my movements.

“For the moment we feel good like that. Afterwards we will have to configure the team with Ney because he is an important player, he is a player who changes our team. We'll see when he comes back.”

Brazil international Neymar has returned to training at PSG, but he has been missing since November 28 with an ankle injury.

He will be eased back into the fold by Pochettino, with no risks taken on his fitness, but the hope will be that he is ready to play some part in the first leg of a heavyweight Champions League last-16 encounter with Real Madrid on February 15.

While Mbappe is focused on the present and