6 PSG players including Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe guaranteed starting berths under Christophe Galtier next season: Reports

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and four other players are reportedly set to be guaranteed starters under soon-to-be Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) head coach Christophe Galtier.

The 55-year-old left his position as manager of Ligue 1 club Nice earlier ahead of his reported move to Paris. The tactician, who guided Lille to the Ligue 1 title in the 2020-21 season, helped Nice seal a fifth-place finish in the French top flight last season.

Galtier, who is set to join PSG on a two-year contract, is already strategising for the upcoming 2022-23 season. According to Le Parisien, Messi, Mbappe, captain Marquinhos, midfielder Marco Verratti, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and defender Achraf Hakimi will be guaranteed starting places next season.

The exclusions of names like star forward Neymar and centre-back Presnel Kimpembe are well-aligned with the rumors of their exit. While Neymar's agent has reportedly made contact with Chelsea, Kimpembe is allegedly interested in a move away from the Parc des Princes.

The club earlier announced the signing of Porto midfielder Vitinha for a fee of €40 million. The 22-year-old, who penned a five-year contract at Paris, has featured in 59 matches and registered 10 goal contributions for the Portuguese club since his professional debut in 2020.

PSG are interested in signing Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar. They are also reportedly keen to make a move for Lille midfielder Renato Sanches and Sassuolo's up and coming striker Gianluca Scamacca, as per GFFN.

Galtier, should he join PSG, looks keen to bring about serious changes at the club to help them perform better not just in domestic tournaments but also in Europe.

PSG won the Ligue 1 last season but suffered defeats in Coupe de France against Nice in the round of 16. They also lost 3-2, on aggregate, against Real Madrid in the round of 16 clash in the UEFA Champions League.

PSG keen to clear deadwood this summer

Ahead of the 2022-23 season, the Ligue 1 champions are interested in refreshing their squad during the ongoing transfer window. According to L'Equipe [via MARCA], striker Mauro Icardi and midfield trio of Ander Herrera, Leandro Paredes and Idrissa Gueye are among 11 PSG players who have been placed on the transfer list.

The club are also willing to listen to offers for defenders Thilo Kehrer and Abdou Diallo, goalkeepers Sergio Rico and Marcin Bulka and forward Arnaud Kalimuendo. The futures of star attacker Neymar and midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum are also up in the air. PSG are open to selling the pair for the right price, as per the report.