Makelele to make retirement decision in June

Claude Makelele has announced that he will decide upon his future in June. The news comes amid speculation that the Paris Saint-Germain midfield general would retire at the end of the current season, an assertion that was quickly but not conclusively rejected by the 36-year-old.

"I will make my decision when the season is over," he declared to the AFP news agency Wednesday evening. "When I arrived [in Paris last summer] I said I was here for long-term reconstruction. The most important thing is what the club wants to do. I will talk with the board at the end of the season. If it's their desire, I could play on. If my desire is there, I am still physically capable. For the moment, the desire is there."

Les Parisiens have been suffering from a tempestuous period off the field in recent months following the resignation of president Charles Villeneuve at the beginning of the year.

As a result, head coach Paul Le Guen is not certain of his future at the club; however, Makelele, who has been rumored to be frustrated at the boardroom antics, has asserted that his future is not tied to that of the coach.

"We have a very good relationship," assured Makelele when quizzed about his affinity with Le Guen. "From the outset, I have always been involved with both the players and the coach, so it does not pose a problem."

It has been strongly surmised that Makelele will join the technical staff of the Parc des Princes club if he chooses to retire from the playing side this summer.