One of the only weak spots on the Paris Saint-Germain squad was left-back. The capital club had added Achraf Hakimi and Sergio Ramos to their backline but needed someone for the left side.
In the final hours of the transfer window, the Ligue 1 side secured one of the bright young left-backs in European football when they landed Nuno Mendes from Sporting CP. The 19-year-old arrives on loan with a €40-million option to buy.
Someone who favors this move is former PSG striker Pauleta, who believes that his fellow compatriot is the present and future for Les Parisiens and gives the addition his stamp of approval in an interview with the official Ligue 1 website.
“Honestly, he is a young player of great quality. At 18, he was huge last season, showing a lot of attacking qualities and making individual differences in his left lane. I got to know him with the Espoirs de Portugal selection. I really appreciate his mentality and his physical abilities,” Pauleta said.
“Although he played more of a piston role with Sporting, he is also capable of playing in a four-man defense. He has a profile similar to that of Achraf Hakimi, but he is less efficient in front of goal. It’s the present and the future for Paris Saint-Germain.”
The teenager will have the opportunity to take over the left-back role that’s open for the taking since Juan Bernat has not yet recovered from his severe knee injury. Abdou Diallo looks comfortable playing at the left-back spot, then there’s Layvin Kurzawa, who is becoming an afterthought for PSG.
