Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi hailed team-mate Kylian Mbappe as “one of the best in the world” and hopes the forward will stay at the club.
However, the Moroccan midfielder has said he will support Mbappe in any decision he makes at the end of the season as the striker’s contract expires in June.
In all competitions, Mbappe has scored 31 goals and 18 assistants – both of the top clubs – in 39 games this season as PSG closes the Ligue 1 title.
The club suffered a disappointing Champions League exit from Real Madrid last month, however, they went on to speculate that Mbappe could move Paris to Los Blancos when his contract expires.
Hakimi wishes to see Mbappe extend his five-year tenure in the French capital.
“Mbappe is one of the best in the world and he is my friend,” Hakimi told Telefoot.
“I want him to stay here, you know. He’ll decide what he thinks is best for his job, and I’ll support him.”
With 12 points at the top of Ligue 1, PSG could take a big step towards earning their eighth league title in 10 years when they face second-placed Marseille at Clasqueque on Sunday, with Hakimi highlighting the importance of winning the tournament to appease them. unhappy team fans.
Indeed, despite PSG’s last 11 goals in Ligue 1 against three of Mbappe’s attackers, Lionel Messi, and Neymar, both have faced ridicule from their supporters since Paris’s 3-2 defeat to Madrid.
“I know there are expectations and a lot of rivals [between PSG and Marseille],” added Hakimi. “I saw it for the first time in the Velodrome [0-0 draw in October].
“Our fans deserve this victory and this ten league title [in the history of the team]. We have had very bad weeks.
“It’s difficult if your fans don’t support you. Winning against Marseille is the best we can do to keep us happy until the end of the season.”
It has been more than a month since the fall of the Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu when Karim Benzema’s hat-trick finished PSG after Mbappe scored one goal on both legs, but Hakimi says he has yet to explain their exit from Europe.
“It’s difficult to see that we are out of the Champions League,” he added. “We had a way to go further. The truth is that I can not explain it. Even today when I think about it I do not understand it. I understand that the fans are sad, and we are also disappointed.
“At this level, small details make a difference, we have to fix it next year. That’s what will make us a champion.”
PSG entered Sunday’s crucial tournament against Marseille as they lost one of their last Ligue 1 matches against rivals, recording 14 wins in that race and keeping five of the last seven.
