PSG manager Luis Enrique: "My actions will say more than my words"

Luis Enrique, PSG's new head coach, addressed the media in a press conference in the lead-up to the inaugural Ligue 1 matchup against Lorient, and, as expected, the spotlight was on Kylian Mbappe's future, alongside Neymar, Marco Verratti, and the now-official arrival of Ousmane Dembele.

The "Mbappe Saga" is hottest than ever, lacking any resolution on the horizon. It appears increasingly unlikely that the French star will feature in the match against Lorient, with Luis Enrique expressing confidence in an eventual resolution.

"This issue (about Mbappe leaving PSG) has arisen in the past, and it was positively resolved between the club and the player before I arrived here," Enrique said. "I hope for an agreement between the club and the player can be reached."

However, Luis Enrique made a strong statement, backing up Nasser Al-Khelaifi's words from a few weeks ago: "I recall the president's words: the club holds a position above players and sports directors, and I wholeheartedly concur," he said. "Nobody is above the club."

Neymar and Verratti remain subjects of the summer transfer market rumor mill, and the Spanish coach has spoken to them. However, when asked about those talks, Enrique chose not to disclose the specifics of those conversations. "I prefer to maintain confidentiality regarding what I conveyed to them."

That said, keep an eye on PSG's lineup and substitutions on Saturday, as Enrique told reporters "My words hold significance, but my actions say much more."

While the signing of Ousmane Dembele had yet to be finalized by the time Luis Enrique talked to the media, it was nearly confirmed by the coach on Friday and later made official by the club on Saturday.

"As of [Friday], Dembele is not officially a PSG player. Regrettably, he won't be part of [Saturday's] lineup because he hasn't become a PSG player entirely. We're at 99%," Enrique explained.

Now that Dembele has signed with PSG, though, he's expected to appear at the stands of the Parc des Princes and to take part on training sessions next week ahead of MD2 of Ligue 1 a week from now.

Addressing PSG's performance in the Champions League versus the relatively easier wins that are expected to come in Ligue 1 play, the coach emphasized the need to transform the team's approach to both competitions.

"My presence here reflects the desire to change that. We must compete with equal intensity in league and cup matches to excel in the Champions League," Enrique said. "I'm aiming for 100 minutes of all-out attacking football, aiming to bring joy."

Speaking about Saturday's matchup, Enrique told reporters that "From what I observe and my player's feedback, we're making progress, we're eager to entertain, but we anticipate challenges from Lorient." The manager added that PSG will "aim to dominate the game from the first minute to the last."

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