The Kylian Mbappe circus is back! Luis Enrique criticism only adds to transfer chaos

Luis Enrique just couldn’t resist. He had been handed, in journalistic terms, the easiest question possible: Is Kylian Mbappe the best player in the world? A simple ‘yes’, or perhaps more controversial ‘not quite’ would have sufficed. It was, effectively, an opportunity to heap praise on his star man.

And how could he not? Mbappe had just bagged an hattrick to ensure they went into the international break sat top of Ligue 1.

“I am not very happy with Kylian today. Why? Because managers are so strange. About goals, I don’t have to say anything, but I think he can help the team more in a different way. I told that to him first (before you) because it’s not a private conversation. We think Kylian is one of the best players in the world. No doubt. But we need more and we want him doing more things.”

In isolation, with any other club, and perhaps even any other player in Paris, Luis Enrique’s comments would be reasonable. Although football, in recent months, has had a difficult relationship with managers airing their grievances with players in public.

But this is no normal club, and no normal player. Mbappe, regarded as a multiple-Ballon d’Or winner in the making, has spent most of the last three seasons going to war with PSG off the field.

In short, Luis Enrique has picked a fight with the wrong guy. Mbappe could, at any minute, decide to leave. Saturday’s comments have already intensified reports and though this circus was always going to reopen, the PSG coach might have started selling tickets before anyone was quite ready.