Mauricio Pochettino is giving little away when it comes to his plans for Lionel Messi, with the Argentine in line to make his Paris Saint-Germain against Brest, but the coach is confident that Kylian Mbappe will remain part of his plans this season.
The Ligue 1 heavyweights now boast an enviable array of attacking talent on their books, with six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi being slotted into a star-studded squad alongside the likes of Neymar, Angel Di Maria and Mauro Icardi.
It could be that Messi, who was snapped up as a free agent once no contract was signed at Barcelona, opens a new chapter in his career on Saturday, with another positive week of training put in following his arrival in France.
Quizzed on whether Messi is part of his plans for a meeting with Brest, Pochettino told reporters: "We have not yet communicated plans to the group, we will analyse and decide after the conference.
"We all know his qualities, he brings a very positive energy. The connection was made quickly. You can tell there's a good feeling, and not only in the dressing room but also on the pitch."
PSG, without Messi and Neymar, looked to Mbappe for inspiration in their last outing against Strasbourg, as he caught the eye in a 4-2 win.
Speculation regarding the 22-year-old's future has continued to rage since then, as he plays out the final year of his contract, but Pochettino is adamant that a prized asset is going nowhere.
He added on the Real Madrid-linked superstar: "Kylian, I see him being very well. He's working really hard to be ready this season. And I see him staying with us this season.
"We also know that during these periods, a lot of things are said. Some things happen, others don't. I see Kylian working well, he's got his head in tomorrow's game. He is focused."
