Newcastle United captain unveils shirt-swapping plan for Kylian Mbappe visit to St James’ Park

Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles has admitted he would happily accept a shirt swap with Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday, but only when the right moment came.

Mbappe is set to appear at St James' Park on Wednesday night for the French Champions as the cathedral on the hill hosts Champions League football for the first time since 2003. It's set to be a remarkable night in the North East but the Newcastle United players are working hard to keep their feet on the ground in training.

Speaking to ChronicleLive ahead of the Champions League fixture, Lascelles was quizzed on any plans to swap shirts with French striker Mbappe, who is widely considered as one of the best current football stars in the game.

The question comes after Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland appeared to seek out Alexander Isak personally on Wednesday evening to exchange shirts after the Swede's performance.

Lascelles, who is set to captain the side on Wednesday with Sven Botman out injured, admitted he wouldn't be able to say no if Mbappe asked but was keen to reassure fans that the Magpies are only thinking of the match right now.

The centre-back said: "It's not something we have really spoken about. We are just focusing on how the manager sets us up as players. We are looking to stick to the game plan and win the game. That's all we care about. We don't care about names and stuff like that.

"If he [Mbappe] asks me? Yeah, when we get to the tunnel but on the pitch it's just business. Kylian Mbappe is probably the best player in the world. We just need to be professional and that's what we are. It's just about getting the job done."

Mbappe has eight goals in seven appearances so far this term and has netted 220 in 267 appearances for PSG in total. The star was the subject of an eye-watering £259 million from Saudi Arabia this summer but elected to stay at the Parc de Princes.