Paris (AFP)

Paris SG "needs to sell players before buying" during the transfer window which will close on October 5, sporting director Leonardo launched on Sunday, responding at the same time to his star Kylian Mbappé who demanded "good recruitment".

"All clubs today need to sell in order to buy. Paris Saint-Germain is in the same situation," assumed the Brazilian on Canal +.

A few hours earlier, Mbappé had urged its leaders to "make a good recruitment" on TF1.

"I think it's important. We have to buy players. I hope that there will be good recruits and that we can start the season with the objective of doing better than last season," where Paris has lost in the Champions League final, he said on the Téléfoot show.

Leonardo indicated that he and Mbappé thought "the same thing": "PSG is always ambitious", he admitted, while repeating that "we must look at the exit side because it is obligatory", in assuming that Paris would not sign "not ten players" in a month and recalling that the club had "already made a large investment in Icardi", whose renegotiated call option is estimated at less than 60 million euros against 70 at the beginning.

"The base exists," said "Leo", listing all the players still in their twenties, including of course Neymar and Mbappé.

- "Leo" thought of "Leo" -

While both are at the end of their contract in June 2022, Leonardo assured: "We want to continue with them. After that, we have to find the right time and the right way".

On the young French (21), perhaps tempted by a departure abroad soon, he insisted: "There are so many great things here for him the Parisian. The marriage is perfect. He does not must not forget that the project is difficult for all the other teams. There are teams which will spend years in difficulty. I think that Paris is the team which will be present in the years to come ".

The sports director also spoke of his relationship with coach Thomas Tuchel, "very clear" according to him.

"He still has 10 months of contract. (When I arrived) I had the choice to decide if he could continue or not. I could have said no, I didn't. I didn't speak. to only one (other) coach ", he justified himself.

As for the departures of Edinson Cavani and especially Thiago Silva?

"It's been six months since we made the decision for financial matters, but also with a view to changing the generation", he explained, while conceding having "wanted to maintain a group" after "a course formidable "in the" second semester ".

He finally hinted that he had looked into the case of Eduardo Camavinga, the 17-year-old Rennais, but also that of Lionel Messi, who finally announced that he remained in Barcelona.

"When you see him leave it tickles you", he slipped.

"When it's on the table, in football everyone talks about everything."

© 2020 AFP