Reported Manchester United transfer target Thomas Meunier has labelled Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League exit at the hands of the Red Devils ‘the biggest joke in football history’ and has admitted he wants to remain in France.
The Belgian right-back remains unimpressed at the VAR-awarded penalty for handball against Presnel Kimpembe that Marcus Rashford scored to send United into the quarter-finals.
Meunier expressed his frustration at the decision, which denied PSG once again in their pursuit of European glory, particularly after a 2-0 win in Manchester looked to have all-but sent them through to the last eight.
“The match against Manchester [United] is just the biggest joke in football history,” Meunier told Le Parisien.
“I could have put a million euros that we could not lose. Not to qualify, it was really catastrophic. Everyone is well aware of this.
“The Champions League is still the major problem. The communication was made about this internationalization, about winning this competition, to be part of the big ones like Real, Barça. It will take a long time for that, but PSG is a club that grows.”
He also opened up on his transfer situation, admitting he would to be offered a new deal and stay in Paris, despite the likes of United and Arsenal among those also rumoured to be interested on a player with just one year left on his contract.
“There are many things happening at the club. Dani Alves, Gigi Buffon, Adrien Rabiot, are at the end of the contract, and we are not bad at entering our last year,” he said.
“All these extras make nothing happen. The club knows my idea of staying . I think that if we do not have a return, it is that it is also a solution that can arrange them.”
However, should a contract extension not be forthcoming, the option remains for Meunier to leave on a free at the end of next season and pick up a lucrative contract somewhere else.
“[Leaving on a free] is something that could suit me. I do not think the club would do a lot of money on me, actually. I have a market value, but I’m a defender, I played one game in three, I’m going on 28 years old.
“It’s not like Adrien Rabiot worth €50 million. I told the leaders that I was ready to stay, that I would like it a lot. They did not tell me, ‘We absolutely want to sell you’. They know that at some point they will need me.
“If the club tells me: ‘Listen, we want to sell you, we need money, there is financial fair play’, and that I will not play next year, we will find a solution that will arrange the two camps, of course.
“There is no advanced contact. There have been phone calls since January with interested clubs. There are a dozen clubs, all of which are in the top five of their leagues.”
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