PSG Transfer News Roundup: Marco van Basten slams Lionel Messi’s personality; Parisians identify Mauricio Pochettino replacement, and more - June 15, 2022

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are likely to have a busy summer ahead. The Parisians failed to achieve their goal of winning the UEFA Champions League in the recently concluded campaign, so changes are expected at the club now.

Meanwhile, former Netherlands striker Marco van Basten has said that Lionel Messi is not a warrior. Elsewhere, the Ligue 1 giants have identified current manager Mauricio Pochettino’s replacement.

On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on June 15, 2022:

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Marco van Basten slams Lionel Messi’s personality

Lionel Messi’s first season with PSG was one to forget.

Dutch legend Marco van Basten has said that Lionel Messi doesn’t have the personality of a warrior. The Argentinean is among the greatest players ever to have graced the beautiful game. The 34-year-old has won a record seven Ballon d’Or awards and has countless records to his name.

Messi, though, has endured a difficult time since joining PSG last summer from Barcelona, scoring just 11 times across competitions. His stock remains high, especially after winning two trophies with the national team in the last year. However, Van Baston believes Messi is not among the top three players of all time.

Speaking to France Football, as relayed by Marca, the Dutchman said that Messi doesn’t lead from the front.

“Pele, (Diego) Maradona and (Johan) Cruyff are, for me, the three greatest players in history. As a kid, I wanted to be like Cruyff. He was my friend. I miss him. Pele and Maradona were also incredible. Messi is also a great player, but Maradona always had more personality in a team. Messi is not the one who puts himself at the front to go to war,” said Van Basten.

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PSG identify Mauricio Pochettino replacement

Christophe Galtier could take charge at the Parc des Princes.

PSG have identified Nice manager Christophe Galtier as the ideal replacement for Mauricio Pochettino, according to Gianluca Di Marzio via PSG Talk.

The Argentinean manager is under tremendous pressure after failing to deliver the UEFA Champions League title last season. Pochettino is unlikely to last the summer as the Parisians look to refresh the setup at the club.

Galtier has emerged as the frontrunner for the hot seat at the Parc des Princes. New sporting director Luis Campos is pushing for the move, having worked with Galtier at Lille. The Parisians could be aiming to install a new manager before securing squad reinforcements this summer.

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Keylor Navas delighted to qualify for 2022 FIFA World Cup

Keylor Navas helped Costa Rica qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Keylor Navas has expressed his delight after helping Costa Rica qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year. The South American nation registered a 1-0 win over New Zealand to book their ticket to Qatar. Navas played a pivotal role in the game, making four saves in 90 minutes.

Speaking after the game, the PSG goalkeeper said that his team always believed they would play in the World Cup.

“I think we never stopped believing, despite the fact that we had, as they say, many finals. We played many games there with the water up to here. We knew that we couldn’t make mistakes, that we have to win, but I think that’s where the greatness of each player came out, and we managed to move forward,” said Navas.

He added:

“Well, for now, I think that now what we have to do is enjoy. There will be time to think. I think we’ve had too much pressure for a long time.”

Navas continued:

“We knew what we were playing for as football players in the country itself, football in Costa Rica, that we could qualify for the World Cup. And today is a day to enjoy, to be calm, and we’ll think about what’s coming. Obviously, you always want to improve, but today we are going to enjoy ourselves.”