Kylian Mbappe in line to feature for Paris St Germain against Toulouse

Posted Saturday, August 19, 2023 by PA

Luis Enrique said Kylian Mbappe is in a good state of mind to return to his Paris Saint Germain side ahead of Saturday’s Ligue 1 meeting with Toulouse.

The striker was absent from the squad for the opening-weekend goalless draw with Lorient following a tumultuous summer in which a dispute over his future left him training separately from the first team.

The 23-year-old has only a year to run on his current contract and has stated his reluctance to sign renewed terms, but has been brought back into the fold and is in line play on Saturday.

The Parisian squad to face Toulouse. 🔛👊 #TFCPSG pic.twitter.com/SEBDymwDRQ
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 18, 2023

The manager said he is happy to have a player of the World Cup-winner’s ability available as he looks to win the title in his first season in charge.

“I am very happy to have a world-class player like Kylian,” said Enrique. “He is in great shape, he has a lot of desire, a very good state of mind.”

It will be PSG’s first game in Ligue 1 since world-record signing Neymar departed to sign for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

Enrique managed the Brazilian during the time together at Barcelona, winning the Champions League in 2015, but the 31-year-old had recently made clear his desire to leave the club he joined for £190million in 2017.

Kylian Mbappe in line to feature for Paris St Germain against Toulouse — Neymar has departed PSG for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia (Nick Potts/PA)

He made 173 appearances for PSG after signing from Barcelona in 2017, helping the club win 13 trophies, including five Ligue 1 titles, as well as reaching the final of the Champions League in 2020.

The manager said that despite Mbappe’s return there would still be attacking reinforcements required following Neymar’s departure.

“He is a world-class player and I wish him well for the future,” said Enrique.

“We still need to strengthen (in attack) because it is the where we had the fewest recruits. We still have work to do on how they complement each other.”

The former Barca manager, who replaced Christophe Galtier as manager of the Ligue 1 champions in July, said he is yet to select a new team captain and yet may yet allow his squad to pick whom they wish to lead them this season.

“There are four captains (in the squad) – that something that is defined by the players, not by the coach. I want him (who the players choose) to be their captain, not my captain.”

The club was boosted by the news on Friday that goalkeeper Sergio Rico has been discharged from the hospital, three months after he sustained a head injury following an accident with a loose horse.