It’s been a difficult week for Paris Saint-Germain following the loss to Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League. Any shred of positivity would be welcomed at this point by fans but unfortunately, that doesn’t appear to be happening any time soon.
Tanguy Kouassi has been a rare gem in the PSG squad since the calendar flipped to 2020 but in the back of everyone’s mind is the fact that he hasn’t signed a professional contract with the club and his current deal expires after the end of the season.
According to L’Equipe (via Culture PSG), negotiations between the Ligue 1 leaders and the Frenchman have hit a rough patch and Kouassi remains uncertain over his future in Paris.
RB Leipzig is currently courting the 17-year-old with the promise of being the successor to Dayot Upamecano, who is drawing interest from FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Working in Leipzig’s favor is their development of former PSG youth player Christopher Nkunku who is coming off a four-assist match against Schalke. Partnering with Nkunku at the German club where he will have plenty of opportunities to start could be more enticing to Kouassi than staying at PSG and working his way into the starting lineup consistently.
For PSG to keep one of the crown jewels of their youth system, they need to start displaying trust in Kouassi in high-pressure situations, which means starting him in the second leg against Borussia Dortmund. PSG is thin at center-back with Thiago Silva now out due to injury and manager Thomas Tuchel may see if the kid has what it takes to perform under the bright lights.
Looking past the Dortmund match and to the rest of the season, PSG should commit to showcasing Kouassi as much as possible to show that he is an important piece of the team going into next season and beyond.
Despite being 17-year-old, Kouassi is proving that age is nothing but a number. If PSG can learn to trust him, they may have a chance at keeping him but if not, few would blame Kouassi for seeking playing time elsewhere.
Want more PSG? Visit the PSG Talk Podcast Network page and subscribe to PSG Talking, The 1970, and 24th & Parc.
