Monaco manager, Leonardo Jardim, has left out Kylian Mbappe, from their matchday squad for Friday’s Ligue 1 trip to Metz.
Mbappe is being heavily tipped to join Paris Saint-Germain this summer, after their domestic rivals overtook Real Madrid as favourites to sign him.
The 18-year-old has been struggling with a knee injury, which he sustained in the opening-day win over Toulouse and did not get off the bench during the 4-1 victory over Dijon last Sunday.
Speaking on Wednesday, Jardim told a media conference: “With all these things around an 18-year-old kid, it’s our responsibility to protect him from the storm. It’s a decision of the club.
“My philosophy is to play with the available players who are at 100 per cent. Kylian is not 100 per cent, he’s not in form right now. It’s normal. If another newspaper offers you [reporters] 15 times your salary, you’ll type less well on your computer…”
Rachid Ghezzal has been named in the Monaco squad for the first time, since signing from Lyon this month.
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