After a busy summer in the transfer window and an undefeated start to the 2015-16 campaign, Paris Saint-Germain supporters are optimistic that this is the season the club will achieve their Champions League dreams.
Last year saw PSG overwhelmed with injuries and suspensions late in their Champions League run due to the considerable lack of depth compared to their competitors. This year should be different. With the addition of Angel Di Maria, the Paris attack not only has a great core, but also satisfying depth, especially with Jean-Kévin Augustin showing promise. Players like Lucas Moura and maybe even Edinson Cavani (if he continues his current poor form) will have to fight for a starting spot.
While Financial Fair Play sanctions were lifted, PSG still need to be conscious of their net spend this summer, which currently stands somewhere around €100 million, and some key players could be on their way out before the close of the transfer window on September 1. One player rumored to be leaving Paris is Ezequiel Lavezzi, who has caught the eye of clubs from the English Premier League, Serie A, and even Major League Soccer.
I’m of the opinion that selling Lavezzi may not be the best option at all. Here’s why:
Lavezzi was bought from Napoli in 2012 for a retrospectively shocking price of €30 million. After three years of mediocrity with the French champions, the Argentine has turned 30 and many speculate his best days are behind him. It is impossible to ignore the fact that his finishing has diminished greatly from his days in Serie A and you have to say that given the transfer fee, his time in Paris has been disappointing. Ultimately though, selling Lavezzi would not bring anywhere close to what Paris paid for him and finding a club willing to pay his wages, €4 million per year, will be difficult.
It will take time for Laurent Blanc to find the most effective attacking trio but many expect Di Maria on the left, Ibrahimovic in the middle, and Lucas on the right. Augustin, Cavani, Lavezzi, and Javier Pastore give Blanc options up front as well. If Lavezzi is sold, the left side of the attack will lack depth should Di Maria pick up an injury and his quality could be needed later on in the season should Paris find themselves in the later stages of the Champions League with injuries to key starters. With very little time in the window remaining to find a viable replacement, it’s easy to see how many thing could go wrong with a bit of bad luck, and if this season is to be a massive one in terms of the club establishing itself as a true European powerhouse, that risk is simply not worth the money that would be gained by selling Lavezzi.
