PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino makes Lionel Messi promise as club close in on Barcelona legend

Mauricio Pochettino insists his club are ‘aware’ of Lionel Messi’s situation – but will not sell Kylian Mbappe to fund a deal to sign the Argentine.

Speaking in a press conference, Poch said: “I have not spoken with [Messi]. And [any move] would not mean that Kylian would leave.

“A player of Messi’s calibre, that is what is interesting to me. The club are working on several options, but we must focus on the game with Troyes [on Saturday].

“We know about what happened yesterday.

“The club is working on the transfer window and on the elements that could come in to improve the team and allow us to achieve our goals.”

Paris Saint-Germain are on the brink of signing Lionel Messi after he chose to join the French giants following his seismic departure from boyhood club Barcelona, according to reports.

Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi was said to have personally contacted Pochettino following the bombshell announcement on Thursday evening that he would be leaving Barca, and it’s now claimed the Ligue 1 heavyweights could complete the signing during decisive talks with his father, Jorge, on Saturday.

Messi is ready to sign an initial deal two-year deal with the option of a third, RMC Sport has said.