As of right now, the only big announcement Paris Saint-Germain has made in the month of January is their new craft pear juice.
Fans have been told not to expect much this window and that PSG’s sporting director, Leonardo, and manager Thomas Tuchel are happy with the team as currently constructed.
It’s hard to argue with them. PSG are comfortably leading Ligue 1 and in their first two matches of 2020, they outscored their opponents 12-1.
That being said, there’s always room to tinker and PSG does have some weak positions that could be strengthened ahead of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against Borussia Dortmund.
Leo, Tuchel, if you guys are listening, here’s what you should do:
Buy
Position: Right-Back
Potential Targets: Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City FC); Kenny Lala (RC Strasbourg); Mattia De Sciglio (Juventus FC)
Fans have been screaming out for the club to sign a right-back who can step into the starting lineup over Thomas Meunier and contribute right away.
Of the three players I listed, Pereira is the ideal choice but he’ll also be the most expensive and difficult to pry away from Leicester as they’re in a top-four battle.
De Sciglio was thought to be the most likely choice but recent reports indicate that Juventus is not willing to include him in a package deal for Leandro Paredes. Perhaps there is still a deal here to be salvaged.
While not the world-class notable name many would want, Lala might be PSG’s best chance at landing a right-back who can compete with Meunier. After this June, Lala will be in the last year of his contract and Strasbourg may want to cash in on his talents. He was born in Paris and would cost approximately €12 million according to Transfermarkt.
Position: Midfielder
Potential Targets: Sandro Tonali (Brescia); Lucas Paquetá (AC Milan); Allan (Napoli)
It would take a miracle at this point in the season for PSG to sign Tonali. According to several Italian outlets (via Culture PSG), Tonali is expected to leave Brescia at the end of the season and favors Juventus and Inter Milan over PSG who is likely a distant third at this point.
There has been so much noise surrounding the Paquetá deal that I think it’s the most likely to happen. He did follow PSG on Instagram and that’s as good as a Twitter announcement if you ask me.
Allan doesn’t fill the height requirement that Leonardo is looking for but he is a bulldog that would add some tenacity in the midfield. He won’t come cheap but I think he is a player that could push PSG over the top in the Champions League when they come up against a tough opponent.
Sell
Potential Departures: Layvin Kurzawa; Julian Draxler; Leandro Paredes; Thomas Meunier
You probably expected to see Edinson Cavani on this list, didn’t you? Well, it looks like El Matador will see his PSG contract through and he isn’t too bad of a backup to Mauro Icardi either.
Kurzawa meanwhile is actively searching for a team to take him this window but has yet to find a partner to take him on. If he does depart, that leaves PSG short at left-back in case something happens to Bernat. If he does leave, PSG may need to invest in that position unexpectedly.
Draxler has a lot to offer PSG but with limited playing time and the UEFA Euros next season, he needs playing time to show that he deserves a spot on the Germany national team. Hertha Berlin expressed interest but I maintain that he should finally join the club he’s been rumored with the most in his career, Arsenal FC.
Paredes is in a similar situation as Draxler. He wants more playing time and while he has performed well lately, Tuchel simply cannot promise him more minutes with the players ahead of him. PSG won’t likely recover the €40 million they spent to sign him, but it might finally be time for PSG to cut their losses and let him move on.
Finally, Meunier. He’s one of the most polarizing players at PSG and constantly the target of frustrated fans. I would agree that he is not the type of right-back that Tuchel needs in his 4-4-2 system but he’s above average. If a substantial offer comes in, I think Leonardo has to do the deal but only if he has a high-quality right-back lined up to sign immediately.
Keep
Players: Edinson Cavani; Adil Aouchiche; Tanguy Kouassi
I’ve already mentioned Cavani and while he may want a move to Atlético in January, it would be wise for PSG to hold onto him until the end of the season. Strikers don’t come cheap and finding a suitable replacement would be extremely difficult in January. Icardi is the unquestioned starter but having an experienced backup in Cavani is a good problem to have.
Aouchiche has only played in two games with the first team this season but he already has a goal to his name. The Frenchman is out of contract at the end of the season and PSG would be wise to sign him long-term. He’s coming off an impressive year where he lit up two international tournaments and FC Barcelona is starting to express interest in him. For that reason alone, PSG must sign Aouchiche.
I want PSG to keep Kouassi for the same reason as Aouchiche. He’s an incredibly gifted (and tall) defender and is already on the radar of RB Leipzig, who seems to know a thing or two about signing the best young French footballers.
What do you think? Who should PSG buy, sell, and keep? Let us know in the comments or find me on Twitter @PSGTalk.
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