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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Colin Millar

PSG set for four-man exodus including players, manager and sporting director

Mauricio Pochettino and Kylian Mbappe are set to lead the high-profile exits from Paris Saint-Germain this summer in wholesale changes.

The French capital club were left stunned as they were eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday night against Real Madrid with a late collapse in the game.

A quickfire second half hat-trick from Karim Benzema turned the tie in the hosts' favour with a comeback described as "magic" by home boss Carlo Ancelotti.

It was another failing in Europe’s premier club competition for PSG, who have not tasted success in the competition despite securing their major Qatar-backed takeover in 2011.

On Sunday, the club’s fans pointedly booed Lionel Messi and Neymar’s every touch of the ball during their Ligue 1 clash against Bordeaux – the first match since the loss to Real Madrid.

Have Your Say! When will Pochettino leave PSG? Tell us what you think here.

Pochettino, Leonardo and Al-Khelaifi are all under severe pressure at PSG (AFP via Getty Images)

That came a day after PSG ultras called on president Nasser Al-Khelaifi to resign following the latest European humbling for their club.

The ultras have called for meaningful change in the club’s board of directors, a month on from their major protest at a Ligue 1 clash in which they blasted the ‘overpaid mercenaries’ on their books and attacked the board.

Al-Khelaifi became the new president and CEO of PSG in October 2011 and despite a multitude of domestic trophies since, the club have yet to find success on the European stage.

French journalist Romain Molina has now explained on Spanish radio station Cadena Ser that the club president is set to be among those leaving their roles in a huge shake-up of the club.

Star striker Mbappe is out of contract at the club this summer and is set to leave as a free agent, with reports strongly linking him with a switch to Real Madrid.

Mbappe is set to lead a huge exodus from the first-team squad that will reportedly include up to nine players.

That report in L’Equipe suggested that Sergio Ramos, Leandro Paredes, Idrissa Gueye, Thilo Kehrer, Layvin Kurzawa, Julian Draxler and Ander Herrera were others whose could be moved on this summer.

The position of Pochettino is thought to be untenable due to the underperformance in European competition and general underwhelming performances domestically.

Sporting director Leonardo – the man who constructed the current squad – is also set to exit his post.

The discontent of the club’s fanbase was made painfully clear on Sunday with the booing of every touch of the ball from both Neymar and Messi.

There were also continued chants from the club’s fans for meaningful change at the top of the club, with president Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo among those to come under the heaviest criticism.

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