PSG to stick with Pochettino for one more year as they plot Guardiola move

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By Martin Graham | 25th May 2022

Paris Saint-Germain will stick with Mauricio Pochettino in the coming season despite earlier reports of his impending sack, according to French outlet L’Equipe.

2021/22 French Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain have been reported to be eyeing a move for Pep Guardiola ahead of the 2023/24 season. The Spaniard is under contract at Manchester City until the end of next season, after refusing a renewal offer a few weeks before he lifted his fourth Premier League title.

PSG are reported to be monitoring the situation closely and as such, are willing to keep Pochettino at the helm of affairs until they can make their move for Guardiola in the summer of 2023.

The Parisian club was said to be interested in former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane. But contrary to previous reports of his interest in the PSG job, the Frenchman is now understood to only be interested in taking over the France national team role from Didier Deschamps, who is said to be retiring from management after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.

Pochettino was facing the axe after a disappointing season that ended in only a league title win for the club. They crashed out of the UEFA Champions League in spectacular fashion to Real Madrid and lost in the round of 16 of the French Cup.

Their league season was not the best as they were greatly helped by the inconsistency of the other teams in the league. Fans lost faith in Pochettino and the club’s chiefs were reported to have made the decision to send Pochettino and his backroom staff packing from the dugout, with a severance package even prepared.

With Zidane unattainable and no elite coaches on the market, the French giants have chosen to keep him for one more season.

Meanwhile, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has spoken out about the transfer saga surrounding Kylian Mbappe, stating that he has no relationship with Madrid President Florentino Perez.

He spoke with TNT Sports Brazil and talked about his feelings towards Madrid in general in the midst of the saga which just came to an end.

“The truth is that I respect everyone, but I don’t have a good relationship with Florentino… Especially after the Super League (stuff),” Al-Khelaifi said. “I respect Real Madrid, a great club. They respect us and we respect them.

“It’s very important to have mutual respect, but I never talked to Florentino, because Kylian (Mbappe) is our player and I don’t need to talk to anyone,” he added.