Mauricio Pochettino left out of the loop during Kylian Mbappé renewal | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino revealed he only found out about Kylian Mbappé’s new deal with the club half an hour before it was announced, when club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi popped into his office to share the final verdict.

Pochettino had long remained steadfast in his belief the young French superstar would remain at PSG despite fielding an offer from Real Madrid and was ultimately proven correct in his assumption.

But, that intuition was all Pochettino had right down to the final moments before a decision had been finalised.

“Even though we were close to Kylian, we didn’t know his final decision either,” Pochettino explained to Deportes COPE.

“I followed the comments in the media, and my people were telling me he seems to be staying.

“But officially, I found out through our president in the managerial offices half an hour before the announcement.”

With Mbappé’s will-he, won’t-he story finally wrapped up, the next question emerging at the club is one regarding Pochettino himself.

PSG have been linked with former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, but Pochettino’s belief is he’ll be staying on next season.

“Today, I can say I’m 100 per cent here. I have one more year in my contract. The challenges are there, and it motivates any coach.”

However, a decision regarding his future at the club could come down to not just the usual suspects… but Mbappé, too.

Sky Italia reporter Gianluca Di Marzio told Sky Sports News that Mbappé could have “more power in the group,” including “the possibility to be captain, probably to say something in the future of the coach, the future of the sports director.”

Reports indicate that part of Mbappé’s new deal at PSG includes an increased presence in major decision-making at the club.

To that end, Pochettino feels his relationship with the player, whether good or otherwise, won’t impact whether he stays on.

“(My job) will be judged by the work,” he affirmed. “We have won all the titles that the previous coaches have also won.

“This league is not easy.”

Still – the UEFA Champions League crown continues to evade Paris Saint-Germain.