Barcelona star's old quote on wanting to play with Kylian Mbappe resurfaces after his decision to leave PSG

Last December, Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo claimed that he would love to team up with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Kylian Mbappe among the current set of players.

The Barcelona full-back, who is spending the season on loan from Manchester City, was quoted as saying by Barca Universal:

"Current player I want to play with? Mbappe."

Kylian Mbappe could leave Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer as a free agent once his contract with the Ligue 1 giants expires, according to Marca. The Frenchman initially joined the Parisian side from AS Monaco on loan in 2017 with an obligation to make the deal permanent for €180 million.

Mbappe has won 13 trophies during his time at the Parc des Princes, including five Ligue 1 titles. However, Champions League success has evaded him in the French capital.

It remains to be seen where the Frenchman will ply his trade next season, but Real Madrid are in the driver's seat to land the 25-year-old. Mbappe has been a long-term target for Los Blancos and almost joined in 2022 before changing his mind to sign a new deal at PSG.

Barcelona have also been linked with a switch for Mbappe as per Radio Marca journalist David Sanchez but it would be pretty unrealistic given their financial struggles. The Catalan giants have been trying desperately to balance their books over the past couple of years and Mbappe's sky-high wages are well beyond them currently.

Cancelo's future itself hangs in the balance as the Portuguese defender is only at Barcelona on a season-long loan deal. Manchester City are reportedly happy to sell him in the summer but it remains unclear whether he will return to Camp Nou or not, as per Mundo Deportivo.

Mbappe, meanwhile, has been on fire for PSG this season, scoring 31 times and registering seven assists in 30 appearances across competitions. In total, he has 243 goals and 105 assists in 290 games for the French giants.

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Barcelona eyeing two signings to counter Real Madrid as they look set to land PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe

Barcelona are reportedly looking to sign two star players in response to their rivals Real Madrid getting Kylian Mbappe. Los Blancos are favorites to land the French superstar on a free transfer in the summer when his deal with PSG expires.

Despite being handicapped by their financial problems, the Blaugrana are believed to be keen to catch up with their arch-rivals. As reported by El Nacional, they are targeting Manchester City star Bernardo Silva and Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

Silva has been a long-term target for Barca but he is seen as an indispensable member of Pep Guardiola's side. Meanwhile, Zubimendi is reportedly seen as the successor of Sergio Busquets, who departed for Inter Miami last summer.