PSG’s Great Summer Rebuild: Midfield and Attack

PSG’s Great Summer Rebuild: Goalkeeper and Defense

Midfield

Paris Saint-Germain has had a rough year when it comes to this part of the pitch and every supporter knows it is crucial to find the right players in order to be successful in the UEFA Champions League. The most glaring hole is in the defensive midfield position. Ever since Thiago Motta and Blaise Matuidi departed, the club has been struggled to replace them and many of their shortcomings on the pitch can be blamed on the lack of a world-class defensive midfielder in the squad. For that reason, that’s the area I want to talk about first.

Defensive Midfield

Paris currently has only one defensive midfielder on the books in Leandro Paredes. Sure, Marquinhos has filled in admirably, stepping out from his natural center-back role, but we all know that is not his preferred position. Filling this position is such a priority for PSG that it was reported that they were entertaining the idea of trying to extend Adrien Rabiot’s contract. That ultimately didn’t work out as the Frenchman joined Juventus FC on a free transfer (jerk) but it goes to show the lengths PSG executives would go to find midfield help for a reasonable price. Another interesting signing would be Tiémoué Bakayoko. He is a proven asset in Ligue 1 and could potentially be acquired for €35 million from Chelsea FC. The third option that has been buzzing this summer is Julian Weigl who played under Thomas Tuchel when he was the manager at Borussia Dortmund. Weigl’s market value is around €25-30 million and could be a good fit as he already knows Tuchel’s playing style and what he expects from his players.

Center Midfield

PSG’s central midfield does not need nearly as much work with Italy international Marco Verratti holding things down. The ability to use Julian Draxler as well as our titi, Christopher Nkunku adds depth to that position and versatility as each player brings a slightly different style. As much as I like Nkunku though, he hasn’t quite been able to establish himself as a player who Tuchel believes in enough to give minutes too. For this reason, I believe it’s the right time to cash in on Nkunku with Arsenal FC the likely candidate for his services. If PSG could get €30 million for Nkunku that’s a deal I would make immediately.

We’ve all heard the rumors of Ander Herrera joining PSG and the club even put his name as an option in the team store for those ordering the new kit. This move, if true, would be an absolute steal. The reigning French champions need an experienced midfielder that does not make many mistakes to help take the club to the next level. He is a team player and as a free agent, this transfer would help with Financial Fair Play. Allan has also been mentioned in the transfer rumor mill, but Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis seems to want to keep his key player or charge an exorbitant amount for him. Another interesting option would be to go after Sergej Milinković-Savić. With Leonardo back in the saddle as sporting director, he may be inclined to bring in players he’s familiar with during his time in Serie A and Sergej is a solid player. It all comes down to price though and Leonardo will need to work him negotiating magic to get the best deal possible.

Offense

Paris Saint-Germain has been blessed with an abundance of talent on the offensive front. There’s Kylian Mbappé who reached 30 goals in a season before his 21st birthday. There’s also Neymar Jr. who is a key figure in our hunt for the Champions League. And then there is Edinson Cavani, or as he’s known at the Parc des Princes, El Matador.

Wingers

It’s sad to see our “Homegrown Player of the Year” award winner with so much promise leave PSG’s ranks but Moussa Diaby is now a showcasing his talents at Bayern Leverkusen. He holds a special place in my heart as we both grew up very close to each other in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. I wish him the best of luck in Germany. We can still count on Juan Bernat, who was recently named the “Best New Arrival” and “Unsung Hero” by our PSG Talk fans. I know he is technically a left-back, but he has shown so much offensive talent that it makes sense to give him a shot at doubling Neymar when we need him to rest.

Neymar is obviously PSG’s key to the left side and an untouchable piece of the PSG puzzle. On the right side, we have Mbappé, but an interesting scenario has popped up and I would like to entertain the idea of moving him to the striker position and find someone to fill his shoes on the right side of the attack. There’s Angel di Maria who could occupy that position and he is already under contract but I believe the club needs some fresh blood to help invigorate the offense. There have been some rumors about Real Madrid trying to unload Gareth Bale and if PSG can secure his services for €60 million then that could be an interesting trio. Bale does have some injury issues in a league that does not have much physicality to it so joining Ligue 1 could be a risky decision for him. Another option would be acquiring Philippe Coutinho from FC Barcelona and flip him from the left side of the attack to the right. It’s a good problem to have if you’re Tuchel.

Striker

Edinson Cavani is a club legend and while he’s aging and coming off a disappointing season, it wouldn’t be right to just let him leave. I believe that PSG must do everything possible to either help him get the best deal possible for him and his family or retain his services. The ideal situation for the club would be that Cavani agrees to a move to Atlético Madrid to replace Antoine Griezmann and put Mbappé at the head of PSG’s revamped offense. I would also look at offers for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and look to replace him with a younger player like Timo Werner who can fill in for Mbappé but could also play out wide to get some minutes in Ligue 1. Werner wouldn’t come cheap, but he is in his last year under contract at RB Leipzig and could be persuaded to make a move to a top club fighting for the crown in the Champions League.

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Tags Adrien Rabiot Allan Ander Herrera Antoine Griezmann Christopher Nkunku Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting Gareth Bale Juan Bernat Julian Draxler Julian Weigl Kylian Mbappé Leandro Paredes Leonardo Marco Verratti Moussa Diaby Neymar Philippe Coutinho PSG Mercato Sergej Milinković-Savić Thomas Tuchel Tiémoué Bakayoko Timo Werner
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