Chelsea may think twice before pursuing a shock move to sign Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe after appointing Mauricio Pochettino as manager. The Argentine signed a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge - with the option of a further 12 months - and is set to officially begin his role on July 1.
Pochettino has been without a job since he left PSG following their Ligue 1 title success at the end of the 2021/22 campaign - in which Mbappe was a key player for the 51-year-old. However, it was not a smooth stint as manager in Paris as Pochettino endured a turbulent 18 months, partly due to the task of managing several elite names, including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Mbappe.
In November, four months after his sacking at the Parc des Princes, Pochettino didn't hold back in his criticism of the French superstar with the Argentine questioning his maturity and suggested he had a selfish side to his game. "Mbappe is younger [than Neymar and Messi] and still immature," Pochettino said.
"He is an animal. He has great charisma, but he still needs to find himself.
"Leo and Ney are total players. They are more responsible, although in different ways, while Kylian keeps looking for himself."
Mbappe has evolved as a player and person since his time working under Pochettino - but it seems that he may be more of a hinderance rather than a help for Chelsea if they complete a shock transfer for the 24-year-old striker. There's no doubt about Mbappe's ability and potential to be one of the best players in history - but Chelsea may not be able to afford signing him as they look to build a new culture and future under Pochettino at Stamford Bridge after a dismal 2022/23 campaign
READ MORE: Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: Kylian Mbappe chance, Mason Mount twist, Romelu Lukaku hint
The PSG star has spoken out about reports linking him with a switch to Real Madrid following his decision not to extend his contract at the French outfit. The 24-year-old tweeted on Tuesday afternoon: "LIES...At the same time, the bigger it is, the more it passes, I have already said that I will continue next season at PSG where I am very happy."
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