Paris Saint-Germain has witnessed a situation reversal in the past week, with Kylian Mbappé now expected to not only stay with the French champions but also possibly extend his contract with a view to possibly still leaving for a fee in 2024. Neymar, who was largely expected to stay on at Parc des Princes this summer, is now set for a big-money move to Al-Hilal of the Saudi Pro League, which will suddenly give PSG significant financial flexibility if it completes.
Factor in potential moves away for Marco Verratti and Leandro Paredes, and the Ligue 1 giants could be about to cash in significantly during a summer window that has already seen the squad receive a substantial facelift. The moves orchestrated by sporting advisor Luis Campos as well as Chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi have impressed Mbappe enough to consider PSG to be headed towards a bright new era finally, so we look at potential smart uses for any extra funds brought in by Neymar or others.
Read the full article at PSG Talk Extra Time on Substack.
Randal Kolo Muani
A hot favorite and likely move for the final few weeks of this summer will be an attempt by PSG to secure Randal Kolo Muani from Eintracht Frankfurt. The France international has successfully adapted to the Bundesliga and is already considered one of the top attacking talents in Germany after just one year there. Still, only 24, Kolo Muani fits the bill in terms of being a French talent hailing from the Paris region as a fellow Bondy boy alongside Mbappé, and his potential arrival in the capital would complete the remarkable transformation of the club’s attacking unit. Assuming Hugo Ekitike is also moved on despite Frankfurt’s reluctance to consider including him in any potential deal to drive down the price, PSG would suddenly boast ridiculous attacking depth.
Bradley Barcola
Potentially adding to that variety going forward under Luis Enrique could also be Olympique Lyonnais sensation Bradley Barcola who remains a real-life target for the Parisien outfit after a superb breakout term at Groupama Stadium. One of the hottest talents in the French game right now, the 20-year-old is wanted by a host of European clubs but remains with Les Gones for now after the fallen French giants dragged out this summer, hoping to avoid cashing in on many of their best young talents to solve financial problems which are currently impacting the club’s ability to make moves. Barcola would add another exciting profile to the PSG attack and also looks like a sensible bet for the future as well as the now—especially in a team that should now feature a restored Kylian Mbappé.
Rayan Cherki
An alternative to Barcola could be fellow OL teammate Rayan Cherki, who has already been wanted by Chelsea this summer. The prodigiously gifted 19-year-old is versatile in attack and plays a number of roles convincingly, which could make him an extremely useful squad member once Neymar is gone. The chances of PSG being able to land Kolo Muani, Barcola, and Cherki are slim, not least given Lyon’s reluctance to allow all of their top talents to move on this summer. However, should a move for Barcola fall through, talks could switch to focus on the France under-21 sensation, who is considered one of the best graduates of Les Gones’ famed youth academy since Karim Benzema.
Khéphren Thuram
Another name potentially on the list is OGC Nice’s Khéphren Thuram, who was looked at earlier this summer and could potentially still be a smart addition to PSG’s midfield. Should Verratti and Paredes both leave, that requires arguably one more body in the middle, and the 22-year-old could be a solution to that, given that some other players in Luis Enrique’s squad have already struggled to convince. Khephren’s brother Marcus was a target earlier in the window as a free agent before he opted to join Inter but Nice, without European competition this summer, can also be targeted for intelligent business with funds raised by Neymar’s sale and the potential exits of Verratti and Paredes.
Manu Koné
Another name possibly worth looking at again is Manu Koné of Borussia Monchengladbach, a teammate of Marcus Thuram’s until this summer. The 22-year-old has developed impressively since leaving Toulouse in 2021, and PSG were already looking at the Colombes-born talent with a view to their summer overhaul. Kone could yet make a move to Parc des Princes if Luis Campos decides to opt for quality over quantity, with the same situation as discussed for Khephren Thuram valid if the likes of Fabián Ruiz and Carlos Soler do not impress this year. Danilo Pereira’s long-term future could also impact potential needs in midfield or defense.
Read the full article at PSG Talk Extra Time on Substack.
