Report: PSG to dismiss Pochettino, Leonardo after extending Mbappe

Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino and sporting director Leonardo are expected to leave their respective positions as the club prepares for a massive shake-up, according to The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano.

The news follows reports that star forward Kylian Mbappe will sign a new three-year contract with PSG.

Mbappe was set to run out his current deal and leave as a free agent once it expired June 30.

The 23-year-old has had an uneasy relationship with Leonardo and moved to oust him during recent meetings with PSG’s upper hierarchy, sources told ESPN’s Julien Laurens.

Mbappe reportedly recommended former AS Monaco and Lille director Luis Campos as a replacement. Campos – who discovered Mbappe in 2013 while scouting for Monaco and sold the player’s rights to PSG four years later for €180 million – is currently a free agent.

Mbappe’s relationship with Pochettino is less clear. The manager said in late April that he was confident he and Mbappe would remain in Paris next season.

Zinedine Zidane is an early favorite to replace Pochettino. The Frenchman – who won three consecutive Champions League titles with Real Madrid from 2016-18 – is also a free agent after leaving the La Liga outfit last year.

Mbappe reportedly rejected the chance to join Madrid on a free transfer this summer after PSG significantly improved their offer. Recent reports indicated Los Blancos had reached an agreement on personal terms with the World Cup winner.

Madrid tried to sign Mbappe last summer, presenting multiple offers worth as much as €200 million but failing to secure his services. Leonardo slammed Madrid’s behavior in October, saying they showed a “lack of respect” and should face punishment for openly courting the player over the last two years.