Pochettino denies France World Cup star Mbappe was difficult to manage at PSG

Ex-Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino has quashed rumours that Kylian Mbappe was difficult to manage during his time with the French club. 

​Question marks over Mbappe attitudeSupposedly calls the shots at PSGPochettino still out of work

WHAT HAPPENED? The Argentine only lasted 18 months in charge of the Ligue 1 side before being sacked last summer. Pochettino may have helped lead PSG to a league title but his time in France was clouded by talk of a strained relationship with key players such as Mbappe.

WHAT THEY SAID: Despite this speculation, while speaking to BBC Sport ahead of the France last-16 match against Poland, Pochettino said Mbappe wasn’t as difficult to manage as some make out.

He said: “But the problem is, sometimes you need to manage yourself because we are talking about a top three, top five best player in the world and it’s not easy for him to manage himself because he’s not mature enough, still he’s a child.  But I think he’s doing well. Sometimes people talk too much but I think it’s not like this.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mbappe signed a new contract in May but already there is talk that he could be pushing for a move in the January transfer market due to unhappiness over broken promises regarding player recruitment.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE? For now, the Frenchman will be entirely focused on the events of the World Cup, where he is currently the joint-leader in the Golden Boot race with three goals to his name.