Jonathan Johnson &#8211; CaughtOffside

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Who knows what will happen next? Maybe after some time working together, Fofana and Maresca will decide it’s a good match, and they continue to pursue working together for the long term, or maybe a decision is made that Fofana is not quite what Maresca is looking for in his squad, and that interest gets revisited.

Overall, though, I’m not surprised OM looked at this in what was an ambitious summer for them, and one that I think neutrals should be excited about it in terms of what it means for French football. Maybe it’s a bit of a preview, if you like, of a big name like Fofana or perhaps someone else, looking to join a French club in the near future.

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Transfer news: Saliba to Real Madrid or PSG, latest on Man United target’s future & more

Jonathan Johnson — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 20:00:00 +0000

Luis Enrique PSG contract likely to be sorted soon

A new contract for Luis Enrique at PSG is in the works. It’s not necessarily a top priority for the moment, but there is an on-and-off dialogue between Enrique and the club, with both parties very happy with how things have been going. It was a positive start for Enrique in his first season and there’s also optimism for this season after a good summer and how the new season has started as well.

At the moment, everything is progressing and on track as Fabrizio Romano has reported, but I don’t think it’s something we’re going to see done in the next few days, but over the coming weeks and months it’s definitely something PSG are keen to try and sort out.

If it all progresses as expected, then I think it’s a really good move for PSG. It’s been quite rare for them to find a coach that is so willing to take on the challenge that PSG presents, both in terms of the expectations and the pressure that comes with managing a club with a lot of money, who’ve signed a lot of star names, but which hasn’t really had the success in the Champions League that many people have expected of them.

The thing that has impressed me most is the way that Enrique has imposed a new style on the team and embraced PSG’s ambition to move towards a younger and more French, Paris-based core of players. I think his willingness to build towards the future without Kylian Mbappe has also been rewarded, given how they’ve started so far, and I think he’s just generally simplified what has historically been a very tricky managerial posting.

There have not been too many managers who’ve enjoyed sustained success with PSG, and, who knows, maybe Enrique will become the latest to fall into that trap, but for the moment it’s going really well and it looks like he’s on course to become the most successful manager since Thomas Tuchel. Obviously Tuchel took PSG one step further in the Champions League, reaching the final, but let’s see what this season could hold.

For now I’m told the feeling inside the camp is really positive, and I think Enrique is someone as well who is less likely than Tuchel to clash with the club hierarchy. It also seems like the club are willing to back him and invest in his ideas for the medium to long term, so it’s looking like a good match so far.

So I think it’s for that reason that both parties are keen to sort out a new contract and make sure that they can continue building towards the future together. There will be other challenges that PSG have to give attention too as well, which means they can’t fully focus on Enrique’s contract situation, but in the next international breaks it wouldn’t surprise me to see some progress made. At some point between now and the end of the year there should be an update on that, though PSG are also looking at some player contracts to resolve as well for that period.

Could Arsenal lose William Saliba to Real Madrid or PSG?

William Saliba in action for Arsenal

We’ve seen some transfer gossip about William Saliba and it’s only natural that some of the top clubs in Europe would be interested in the Arsenal defender. PSG’s interest is nothing new – he’s Paris-born and hails from the Bondy region, like Kylian Mbappe and Randal Kolo Muani.

However, at the moment, whether it’s PSG, Real Madrid or another top European club, it’s very hard to see them being able to prise Saliba away from Arsenal. He’s one of their top talents at the moment, and one of the best defenders in world football, and after a strong showing at the Euros he’s shown he’s in that world class bracket. I think now that Mikel Arteta’s future has also been cleared up, I think Saliba will be looked at as a player that the Gunners hope to keep as a key cornerstone for the team.

I think when you look at Real Madrid and their reluctance to really go in with a big money bid for Leny Yoro this summer, I think Real are waiting to see how their current defensive options look once everyone is fit and completely recovered from injury, with David Alaba a key player still working his way back. Real’s tricky start to the season also means they’ll probably wait and see what other areas of their squad could also do with strengthening.

I think PSG would ideally have liked to move on some players in defence this summer, such as Milan Skriniar, but I don’t think that they would necessarily have looked to add someone of Saliba’s profile – they were very keen on Yoro, but ended up getting Willian Pacho, and it’s easy to forget just how important Lucas Hernandez was for PSG before his untimely injury, so that’s another factor for them to consider, that they have very impressive strength in depth in defence once he’s back and fit.

For the moment, I can’t see anyone going in for Saliba while he remains such a key part of that Arsenal project, but, depending on what happens this season, who knows, perhaps a scenario could develop that presents an opportunity for one of these top European clubs to sound out his situation.

Why it’s taken so long to resolve Adrien Rabiot’s future

Adrien Rabiot’s future still hasn’t been resolved as he remains a free agent since leaving Juventus at the end of last season, and Didier Deschamps notably called the situation “embarrassing” as he spoke about Rabiot’s absence from the latest France squad.

I think Rabiot clearly has an idea about where he’d like to go, and that’s to a top club, while there’ll also be the expectation that his salary is befitting for a player of his experience. There’s also pressure, though, as this will probably, given his age, be the last big contract of his career. He’s 29, on the verge of hitting 30, so wherever he goes next, it’s probably got to be a two to three year contract and one that I think he knows will take him towards the veteran stage of his career.

There’s also the complication, and people probably won’t be too surprised to hear this, of negotiating with his mother and agent Veronique, who remains very influential in his career and what he does. I think it’s a mix of these factors that have contributed towards it taking him so long to find a new team.

Obviously it’s also a bit of a fragile moment for the French national team, with Deschamps under a bit of pressure after failing to play as well as many would have hoped at Euro 2024, while it’s also been a bit of a slow start to the Nations League. Deschamps is clearly not too happy with Rabiot’s situation and the fact that he’s still without a club despite all these links we’ve seen.

I think the Manchester United links were always with Rabiot being seen as an alternative to Manuel Ugarte, but at the same time he’s always going to be the kind of player that top clubs are looking at – a free agent who can come in and give them a big boost in positions that are problematic for them, whether it’s because of an injury or if they’re generally a bit light in midfield.

So I think there is still some hope that there can be a resolution to Rabiot’s future in the coming weeks, but even if he were to join a new club tomorrow he would still be some way off the level of fitness of his teammates because they’ve been back training for at least a month or so now with their respective clubs.

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It’ll be interesting to see how this pans out as Rabiot has turned down some lucrative offers, but it’s clear he has quite a strong preference to remain at the very top level in Europe, while he’s also tempted by the Premier League, where he feels there’s unfinished business from his brief spell with Manchester City as a youngster.

But until his situation is resolved I think we’re going to keep seeing a lot of links like this because he’s certainly one of the most high-profile free agents on the market at the moment.

Aurelien Tchouameni happy at Real Madrid for now

Aurelian Tchouameni remains an interesting profile to a lot of top clubs despite moving to Real Madrid. We’ve seen a few times now when he’s been in and out of the team that there have been rumours linking him with other clubs, not just Liverpool and Arsenal, but a handful of others as well.

I do think Real are in a bit of a transitional period at the moment where they’re adapting to having Kylian Mbappe with them, which is impacting many areas of the team, not just the attack but also in midfield. We’ve also seen Tchouameni being asked to fill in in defence by Carlo Ancelotti at times, so overall I do think he remains an important player for them, and I think the player himself will continue to be happy as long as he’s getting regular minutes.

Still, I do wonder if, long-term, there will still be a guaranteed starting XI role and once that becomes clear it might be that we’ll see Tchouameni being more willing to consider his future. At the moment he is an important player for Ancelotti, but how that looks once all his competitors in his position are fully fit and available, we’ll have to wait and see.

For this season, it would be a big surprise to see Tchouameni leaving Real Madrid, but from next summer onwards, a lot will depend on how confident he still is of keeping his place in the team, particularly when Eduardo Camavinga is back and available in midfield again.

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Transfer news: What Man Utd can expect from Ugarte, Mbappe’s row with PSG, Cherki future & more

Jonathan Johnson — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 20:00:00 +0000

What can Man Utd expect from Manuel Ugarte and could PSG regret selling him?

Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United is now really close, and it’s a deal that PSG had as a priority as one of their outgoings from the beginning of the transfer window. We also know he’s been a priority for Manchester United as well, which is understandable given the position that he plays and the kind of profile that he is.

This is one of those moves that looks like it should suit all parties – it’s been very clear since the beginning of Luis Enrique’s time at PSG that there’s not too much space for Ugarte or someone of his profile in this PSG side, but, equally, Ugarte has shown that he is a player of substantial quality.

Much of Ugarte’s best form has come with the Uruguay national team, but we’ve seen fleeting moments of it in a PSG shirt as well, and I think if you require someone who’s a bit of a destroyer, a proper traditional defensive midfielder with the athletic capacity to really get around, then he’s a great option. I think with time he could be a good fit for United as a long-term heir to someone like Casemiro.

I think Ugarte also has a profile that is very well matched with the Premier League, I think he’ll relish the physical aspect of the English game, and I think he’s ready-made for it in terms of his fitness and playing style. So why are PSG letting him go and might they live to regret it?

I think at the moment, when you look at the midfield under Enrique, with the technical quality of players like new signing Joao Neves, I don’t think they’ll miss Ugarte too much. Still, should there be a change of management at some point in the near future, and a move towards a different playing style, then I think PSG might wonder if they’d have done better to hold on to him for a while longer, or loan him out with an option to buy, so that there could be an opportunity for him if a new manager was to come in.

For now, Enrique is building his own side with his preferred playing style, but we know managers change a lot in the modern game, and there’s perhaps a chance someone else could come in at some point and look at this PSG team with a different eye, and perhaps see a need for someone like Ugarte, a real enforcer in midfield.

That’s not the case now, though, and I’m told PSG are satisfied with the deal they’ve managed to negotiate, which should see Ugarte join United before the end of the transfer window. I think the player will also welcome the chance of a new start, and United are getting a player who meets their needs, so I think it really is a win-win all round.

Kylian Mbappe’s ongoing dispute with PSG

Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid

There’s been an interesting story evolving about the dispute between Kylian Mbappe and PSG over money and what may be a large amount of unpaid wages to Mbappe from his time at the Parc des Princes. This is not actually something new, it’s been rumbling on for some time.

I think PSG have made their position very clear on the matter – if we cast our minds back to the start of last season, when Mbappe hadn’t really had a pre-season but was then welcomed back into the team. This dispute is essentially relating to that time when it was felt that an agreement had been reached which protected all parties over certain bonuses and fees that Mbappe had essentially agreed to forfeit in order for PSG to agree to reintegrate him into their squad.

Is there a risk that this could escalate? I think that the longer it drags on, the more it could become a real headache for both PSG and Mbappe. PSG have been very clear whenever they’ve communicated about it in public, saying that the talks are ongoing. Discussions will continue to take place to reach an amicable conclusion and a settlement that suits all parties.

But I think PSG feel frustrated, because they feel the agreement at the time was clear, especially as Mbappe came out publicly and said that there was an agreement in place. I think it now feels like it’s sort of stopping PSG and Mbappe from properly moving on from their time together. So I think it’s something we can expect to see cleared up in the coming weeks or months, but I think time is starting to be of the essence now.

What to expect from PSG before the end of the transfer window

There’s not long left in the transfer window now, but I think there could be some temptation for PSG to potentially try to strengthen in attack, not necessarily with a player who can play at the focal point of the attack as Luis Enrique doesn’t necessarily require those kinds of profiles to get PSG playing the way that he wants.

It could be someone who’s more complementary to the attacking line up, like Jadon Sancho, who’s been linked with PSG throughout the transfer window, though the Goncalo Ramos injury is also a bit of a blow and has prompted a bit of a re-think on PSG’s part.

PSG have made a prolific start to the season in Ligue 1, but they’re still assessing what they want and need, so we’ll see what the Champions League group stage draw has in store for them later this week, but I think there are a couple of areas in this PSG side that they’ll feel they could do with a bit of a boost in, both in attack and in terms of strength in depth in defence, particularly the full-back areas.

PSG were looking at Bradley Locko of Brest before his injury, but I think they could still looking at similar players in that position as Lucas Hernandez’s injury means Nuno Mendes is the only available option in that position. There are also questions about how PSG might act if Milan Skriniar moves on, and there is a chance he could do so.

Presnel Kimpembe also continues to be a problem as he’s still not match ready after a very long injury layoff now, and there are increasing concerns at PSG that that return might not be forthcoming, so that’s a tricky situation for them. Obviously the arrivals of the likes of Lucas Beraldo and Willian Pacho means they do have more depth than they had in previous years, but I think there is probably an interest on PSG’s part to cover a couple more bases between now and the end of the window.

Once the Ugarte sale to Manchester United is made official, we might see PSG make one or two moves, but, as I mentioned, I think it will probably be more complementary to the current players as opposed to a new star name arriving for a leading role in the team.

Could Rayan Cherki still leave Lyon?

Rayan Cherki’s story has been complicated for much of the summer and it’s still looking that way now as we edge closer to the end of the window. Cherki is now training away from the rest of the Lyon squad, with OL actively trying to move him on.

Fulham were one of the most recent suitors, while you also had the likes of Borussia Dortmund, but these links have fallen away. As previously mentioned, the big question about Cherki has never been his talent, it’s more his personality, his character and his application.

So far, this has put off a lot of suitors and it may well put off future suitors. There may well come an awkward point in his relationship with Lyon where maybe they have to work him back into the fold, especially if he doesn’t make a move in this window and they have to work to boost his value again.

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Lyon did make some pretty significant promised sales to the DNCG which is the French football’s financial watchdog. They previously went over their budget and so in this promise were some pretty significant sales, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see them being pretty busy trying to get players out between now and the end of the window as they’ve not come close to that yet. Basically every player in that squad at this moment in time is available for the right price.

Obviously some of those players will be more attractive than others, but it is a situation where clubs who have more than a passing interest in a player, could get a pretty reasonable deal for themselves. Cherki is one of those who continues to attract links, but one of the stumbling blocks is personal terms, as it seems trying to establish a good working relationship with future managers and coaches is a complicating factor.

As things stand, it seems that Cherki may well end up being stuck in Lyon unless there is a late deal that comes together, but given the number of deals that have already fallen through, I think the chances are quite high that there might have to be some kind of awkward reconciliation and an attempt to move forward together between Lyon and Cherki, which could then potentially put him in the shop window between now and January. Still, I expect Lyon to be busy before the deadline so let’s see what happens in the next couple of days.

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Transfer news: Desire Doue PSG close, Man United midfielder boost, Arsenal legend’s next move & more

Jonathan Johnson — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 20:15:00 +0000

PSG happy to be closing in on Desire Doue transfer coup

Desire Doue has now chosen PSG over Bayern Munich. It’s a significant move for PSG and a bit of a coup in what’s been quite a tough summer transfer window so far, not just for PSG but for French clubs in general with the financial situation in Ligue 1 relating to the TV deal. Whether you’re PSG or Marseille or anyone else, it’s been difficult to get the best talent coming in.

Some big names, for example Leny Yoro, who PSG really prioritised, have been a challenge to target in this market, and that’s seen PSG pivot in recent weeks, instead signing Willian Pacho from Eintracht Frankfurt. So it’s now a real boost to see Doue choosing PSG over what looks quite an exciting Bayern project overall when you see the calibre of players they’ve added this summer.

PSG are happy that the Doue deal looks to be on the right track, even if it’s not quite a done deal just yet. It is getting closer to completion and I believe PSG and Rennes have reached an agreement over terms, which should see that deal happen in the very near future.

It’s a boost for PSG as well because it’s further strengthening that French contingent in their squad, which is something that they would like to build on in the next couple of weeks as well with some of the players they’re targeting. We’ll see soon about specific names, but my understanding is that they’re keen to strengthen the depth of their squad, particularly with full-backs, for example.

So, they’ve done well to beat Bayern to Doue, who looked fantastic in Ligue 1 last season, and this is just one of what they hope will be a number of French talents coming in before the end of the window.

What else could we see from PSG before the end of the summer transfer window?

Manuel Ugarte in action for PSG

I think something we can also expect from PSG before the deadline is an effort to move on some of their undesirable players. There are some individuals they’d ideally like to move on, such as Carlos Soler and Nordi Mukiele – those are two high-profile examples. Danilo Pereira is also in a similar situation.

Milan Skriniar, meanwhile, is someone who PSG could move on if there were to be a suitable offer for him. I think PSG would be quite happy to cash in on him, but it’s been difficult at times for PSG to drum up the right kind of interest. You can also see this as they try to do a deal involving Manuel Ugarte and Jadon Sancho, with Fabrizio Romano confirming here that Manchester United currently view the asking price for Ugarte as too high.

So, PSG will focus on trying to move those players on and it could be useful for them to do so before bringing anyone else in, but there will also still be an effort to bring a couple more individuals in that can improve the squad depth. One name to watch could be Bradley Locko of Brest – a full-back PSG have been looking at in recent weeks. There has also been reported interest in Lutsharel Geertruida, but he’s of high interest to a number of clubs, with Aston Villa believed to be quite close to doing a deal for him.

PSG are monitoring the situations of what I would call versatile players, so players who can offer strength in depth in a number of positions but who wouldn’t necessarily be being signed with a view to going into the starting XI.

Why Jonathan David still might not be leaving Lille

Jonathan David’s situation remains a curious one that seems to repeat itself almost every year, and he always ends up staying with Lille. There is genuine interest in David, he regularly attracts a number of suitors, but I think the difference this summer is that Lille look like they’re on course to qualify for the Champions League group stage.

If they do that, it’s a big plus for Lille in general, but I think it would also help them top keep hold of David, despite the links we’ve seen at various points this summer with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham. I think Lille are wary, though, of the player wanting to move on, and they’ll want to avoid a situation whereby he enters the final twelve months of his contract.

Still, it’s been a tricky market this summer and Lille need David’s goal-scoring presence in their side, so it’s a delicate situation. When asked about it after Lille progressed past Fenerbahce in midweek, he said he would still be interested in playing in the Champions League group stage, which could happen with Lille, so I think what happens between now and the end of the window will depend on which clubs come forward and what kind of offers are put on the table.

Overall, though, I think Lille will be less tempted to sell if they have the windfall that comes with playing in the Champions League group stage. It is possible that Chelsea or Tottenham could revisit their interest, but it’s tricky to imagine Lille actioning a sale right at this moment when they have that tie against Slavia Prague coming up for the next round of qualifiers for the Champions League.

This could be one that is worth keeping an eye on, as the timing of all this means it could be pushed right up until the end of the transfer window. I wouldn’t rule out David staying at Lille, but at the same time I also don’t necessarily expect him to be more open to signing a new contract there if they get into the Champions League group stage, so his future is probably still something that’s going to need resolving.

What next for Thierry Henry after France pick up silver at the Olympics?

I think France did well at the Olympics, getting to the final and coming away with a silver medal, which has to go down as a solid achievement. Still, I also think they had the talent to go all the way and win it and they shouldn’t have lost out to Spain in that final.

Still, making it to the final was the sort of minimum expectation for Thierry Henry’s side, and I think he deserves credit in his coaching role for creating such a united group when there were so many players who were either made unavailable, or who withdrew from the squad.

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I think Henry did well in that aspect, but even so you’d expect a France squad with this kind of talent to have it in them to go on a deep run, so I don’t think it’s necessarily all down to the coach, because it really was one of the most talented groups in the entire tournament.

At times, I think France had it in them to be more impressive, though of course in a tournament it’s results that count, and they did make it to the final, though I think having made the final that they should have gone all the way. I think to a degree Henry’s reputation will be a little restored, but not necessarily enough for a big club job.

Henry had been linked with the USMNT role, though that now looks set to go to Mauricio Pochettino, but perhaps that’s more the kind of job that could be realist for Henry next. It will be interesting to see what offers arrive for the former Arsenal captain, and where he figures in terms of future candidates for the senior French national team given that Zinedine Zidane remains the major favourite to take over from Didier Deschamps after the 2026 World Cup.

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Transfer news: Fabian Ruiz to Arsenal, Man United star’s PSG links, plus Marseille to raid PL again

Jonathan Johnson — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 19:45:00 +0000

Fabian Ruiz linked with Arsenal, but would PSG sell?

Fabian Ruiz has been linked as a target for Arsenal and I think his situation is an interesting one to watch this summer. He obviously had a really good tournament with Spain at Euro 2024 and ended up with a winners’ medal, while he’s also generally been considered an important player by Luis Enrique at PSG.

Still, it would not be accurate to say that his time in Paris has gone entirely smoothly – there have been times when he’s failed to impose himself on the midfield, which followed a bit of a drop-off in form towards the end of his time at Napoli. I think this is an illustration of what Ruiz can do at his best, but he’s not always been at that level for PSG.

In terms of what happens next, and in terms of the interest from Arsenal and other clubs who’ve sat up and taken notice after his very convincing performances with Spain. I think a move would depend on what kind of offer is put on the table to PSG. We know Joao Neves is expected to come in shortly, while Renato Sanches will most likely be moving out, and Xavi Simons’ future also seems to lie at least for the coming season in Leipzig, though we’ll see what happens long-term with that.

So that’s a few names going out, but there’s also Gabriel Moscardo, and the assumption is that PSG’s starting midfield three will be Warren Zaire-Emery, Vitinha and one other player. So if you factor Ruiz in to a five-man rotation, there’s definitely still room for him in Paris and I think Enrique will be happy with how he performed with Spain and be hopeful that he can get Ruiz back into that kind of form in the season ahead.

PSG will probably wait and see if there is any offer put forward to the club and then move from there, but I don’t think there’s any real pressure to move Ruiz on. There might have been a time about a year ago, before Enrique came in, when it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that Ruiz would be a long-term fixture at PSG, but now I think his recent improvement in form and the fact that young players like Moscardo and Neves might need a bit of time to bed in might mean there is a need for someone like Ruiz.

As previously reported, Manuel Ugarte is another player who could be expected to move on, so that’s another reason to keep Ruiz around and it removes that pressure to move him on. Let’s see what kind of offers arrive, if any, but I wouldn’t expect a concentrated effort to push Ruiz towards the Parc des Princes exit.

Still some distance between Marseille and Arsenal on Eddie Nketiah transfer

Marseille have signed Mason Greenwood and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer, and now Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah is another Premier League player they’re looking at. The latest on the deal is that there is some distance between what Arsenal want for Nketiah and what Marseille would be ready to offer. There is a desire, however, from Roberto de Zerbi to bring in that kind of player.

I don’t think OM will have been expecting this deal to be easy, but they perhaps also wouldn’t have expected it to be as complicated as it has been, particularly with other clubs interested and curious about his situation. I think there would be logic to this signing for Marseille, especially when you look at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang moving on, so it’s a signing that could make sense with how De Zerbi will want to play.

Marseille’s signings so far have been good and I think they can look towards the new season with optimism. It sounds like they have a lot more business that they want to get done, not just in attack but in defence too and possibly in goal as well. I think we can expect to see OM make a couple more significant moves, while some defenders might move on as well.

It’s a summer that’s been fascinating so far, and I think the Nketiah move isn’t one that many people will have seen coming, so let’s see what happens and if there are any others that De Zerbi knows from his time in the Premier League that he might be keen to bring to Marseille. There are still some obvious holes in the Marseille squad which will need strengthening in the coming weeks, but the moves they’ve made so far have been very interesting.

Jadon Sancho or Nico Williams to PSG?

It’s been interesting to see some of the rumours about Jadon Sancho being a target for PSG. We’re also seeing Nico Williams linked, and it’s not too surprising to see players like this linked with the club as it’s pretty clear PSG need players with that kind of star power on the left-hand side after the departure of Kylian Mbappe.

Still, I think many people are also overlooking the fact that Bradley Barcola could be ready to step up and fill the void left by Mbappe. I think he’s definitely ready to take on a role as a regular starter in that position for the season ahead, so I don’t think a new signing like Sancho or Williams is that clear cut.

Williams also just had a great season for Spain at Euro 2024, so it’s hard to see there not being a lot of competition for his signature. With Sancho, though, it will be interesting to see if PSG actually put an offer on Manchester United’s table for him. Obviously for now Sancho and Erik ten Hag seem to have agreed to forget what’s gone on in the past and focus on the future, so there could be a way for Sancho to stay there and rebuild his career at Old Trafford.

PSG got a close look at Sancho, though, in their Champions League tie with Borussia Dortmund last season, so they’ve seen what he can do in an environment he feels more comfortable in, and perhaps one less weighed down with expectation, as has been the case in Manchester.

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So while there is interest from PSG in players of this kind of profile, and a desire to bolster their attack, I don’t think it’s a given that we’ll see Sancho or Williams join. They’ll want to go about this in an intelligent way and not rush into things, so we’ll probably continue to hear rumblings about PSG and these players, but we know that Williams is the subject of interest from Barcelona, so that might create a bit of rush in a time when PSG are looking to get Joao Neves in and Manuel Ugarte out of the door, so we’ll see where they go from there.

I think we’ll see PSG strengthen in attack but I think it’s still a bit early to know for sure who their priorities will be, so let’s see who’s still available and of interest to them once they sort out some of the more pressing issues in their squad first.

Bordeaux’s sad downfall is a cautionary tale for Everton and others

It’s extremely sad to see what’s gone on at Bordeaux in the last few days. The situation finally came to a head after financial problems that had been building for a number of years, and it’s seen them essentially cease to be a professional club.

I think it’s also a warning to other clubs in France, because there are clubs going down a similar path financially and not putting themselves in a position where they are able to overcome the financial difficulties of the last few years. With TV rights in Europe also likely to be an issue in France and other countries over the next few years, I think this is an issue that will come up again, and so Bordeaux and other French clubs might be a bit of a case study.

When you look at the difficulties of someone like Everton, for instance, who, despite being in the Premier League and having the influx of money that brings, there are some very pertinent parallels there. Everton are also trying to build a new stadium and that ended up being part of Bordeaux’s downfall. They built a new stadium for Euro 2016 and it’s become a bit of a weight around their neck, as they built up so much debt that when FSG came looking at the club it meant that it was basically impossible for them to project towards the future and it wasn’t helped by the current state of French football.

It’s been an emotional and saddening period to see Bordeaux fall into such a state of disrepair. There is of course some hope that they can be salvaged in the third tier and win back their professional status in the next couple of years, but there’s also no guarantee that they’ll be considered financially viable, so that might mean they have to be re-birthed like a number of Italian clubs have been, such as Parma and Fiorentina in recent history.

So it’s a very difficult time for Bordeaux fans and fans of French football – it’s been a very sobering summer and it’s unfortunately probably going to take a while to resolve, and it could even get worse before it gets better.

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Transfer news: Leny Yoro to Man Utd one of the signings of the summer, Neves to PSG, and more

Jonathan Johnson — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 19:35:00 +0000

Leny Yoro could go down as the signing of the summer – Real Madrid will live to regret letting Man United get him

Leny Yoro is heading to Manchester United and it’s certainly a somewhat unexpected destination for him. It’s a very interesting transfer and I think Lille will be happy with the money they’re getting, which will be €50m plus add-ons.

Of course, everybody knows that Yoro prioritised a move to Real Madrid over any other destination, including PSG, so I think we can say with confidence that going to Man United was not his first choice, but I think it’s an interesting move that could really pay off in the long run for United.

I’ve drawn parallels between Yoro and Raphael Varane in the past and I think he really is one of the most talented players of his generation, so I think United have got a really good deal here. And of course he’s actually replacing Varane, so it’s really an upgrade by bringing in almost a younger version of the older, past his peak version of Varane that we saw at Old Trafford.

It’s a good capture for United, but also a good deal for Lille who needed to sell. It’s a blow for PSG, who would’ve loved to make him a key part of their team going forwards, and a crucial long-term part of their defence. It will be interesting to see now how Yoro will settle in with the culture in the UK, but at the same time you look at this United squad and it’s impossible to see this as much of a gamble – he should walk straight into that starting XI.

While it’s a challenge for Yoro, he’s also joining a team where it’s hard to see them doing much worse than they did last season. I think Erik ten Hag is fortunate in many ways to have received this second chance, but I think Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee are interesting signings, and Yoro in particular has the potential to be one of the best deals of the summer anywhere in the transfer window – I’m really confident that United have got hold of a quality player and maybe Real Madrid will regret that as they had a clear run at his signature but weren’t able to put together the financial package necessary to beat United to his signature.

What next for Didier Deschamps and France?

The FFF have decided to continue with Didier Deschamps as manager of the French national team for the remainder of his contract, which runs until after the 2026 World Cup. However, that doesn’t mean that Deschamps will definitely stay on – at the moment, Deschamps is considering his future and will have a discussion with Philippe Diallo, the head of the FFF in the coming days.

Until the outcome of that meeting is known, there won’t be much in the way of speculation as everyone knows who will succeed Deschamps if he decides to step aside or is sacked for whatever reason, and that’s Zinedine Zidane.

Despite his success in winning the World Cup in 2018, I think there is now the growing sense that Deschamps could be doing more with this France side, particularly in terms of the style of football being played. The defence-first approach has brought some results, and helped France get to the semi-finals of Euro 2024, but after defeat in the Euro 2016 final, the 2022 World Cup final and an unexpected early exit in Euro 2020, there is still some feeling of disappointment, even if the blame can’t all be laid on Deschamps.

It’s difficult to imagine Deschamps deciding to step aside now, but it could perhaps be realistic that he’ll communicate the intention to leave after 2026, regardless of the result. Then again, you look at what happened with Gareth Southgate and England, he decided pretty quickly after the tournament that it was time to go, so maybe Deschamps will also decide it’s time to step aside. I imagine, however, that he’d probably find it very difficult to get back into work at club level – if he stays until 2026 that’s another two years after a very long time out of the club game.

It’s a big decision for Deschamps, so let’s see what decision he comes to after his talks with Diallo.

Joao Neves to PSG could mean midfielder sales

Joao Neves to PSG looks to be accelerating at the moment, with PSG stealing a march on other European competitors. PSG are now in a better position to understand what kind of budget they’re working with the TV rights deal now resolved, and so they can now work on the players at the top of their wish list.

As Fabrizio Romano reported in his column earlier today, PSG are looking to negotiate a deal with Benfica, with Neves happy to make the move to the Parc des Princes. It’s now down to the two clubs to reach an agreement, with Benfica insisting on their €120m release clause for Neves.

Of course we know they’re set to miss out on Leny Yoro, who was a priority target, and they don’t want to let Neves pass them by in the same way. If you look at the PSG midfield at the moment, they’ve got Fabian Ruiz, who has just had an excellent Euro 2024 with Spain, then there’s Gabriel Moscardo who’s coming in after injury, so giving Luis Enrique a new option. Logically, it seems like Neves would be completing a midfield three alongside Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery, but there are quite a few options in that area of the pitch.

Obviously there’s scope for Enrique to tinker with his tactics a bit and try new systems, but it could also be that one of those names moves on. Neves is an exciting talent, though, and I can see him becoming a key part of a midfield trio.

Julian Alvarez could work out as a cheaper alternative to Victor Osimhen for PSG

PSG have also been linked with Julian Alvarez and I can see why as he’s an interesting profile, capable of playing as a central striker or out wide, or even moonlighting as a makeshift no.10.

Still, whether it ends up being Alvarez or Victor Osimhen, it will be very difficult to replace the star power of Kylian Mbappe. I’d also be very interested to see what deals like this mean for PSG in terms of which of their current players they feel they can do without. There’s already been talk of a potential move away for Marco Asensio, who’s been linked with Besiktas, while Randal Kolo Muani has been linked with Atletico Madrid.

I don’t, however, see a world in which PSG separate with Goncalo Ramos yet as he did show signs of getting back to his best in the latter stages of last season. I think Asensio or Kolo Muani, and perhaps Carlos Soler as well, would be the most likely options that PSG would consider parting with.

So I think Alvarez is definitely a player PSG could be interested in if he’s available, but I think in order for him to get out of Manchester City now, he would have to force that move. It could be that there’s frustration that he’s only got a bit-part role at City, even if that’s behind Erling Haaland. After a good summer at Copa America maybe he now feels it’s time to go somewhere where he can be the undoubted first choice attacking option, or at least one of the first choice attacking options.

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The Osimhen links gain strength, however, so it may be that Alvarez is one to keep an eye on in case PSG are priced out of a move for the Napoli striker.

Adrien Rabiot leaves Juventus – Premier League next?

Adrien Rabiot is now out of contract with Juventus and has been linked with clubs in the Premier League in the past. He’s a rare free agent with proven quality, and in a market where there doesn’t appear to be much good value knocking about, it has to be said, so I think he’s a good option for any clubs out there who are looking to budget.

Rabiot is attracting interest, and there have been clubs keen to bring him back to England after he had a spell at Manchester City as a youngster, which many people might have forgotten. Still, I think he’ll take his time, as he’s entitled to a bit of a holiday after a long run with France in the Euros.

Despite some speculation, I didn’t think Rabiot would make a decision whilst being at the Euros, and that’s proven to be the case. Now he still has some time to make up his mind as he doesn’t have a set pre-season to return to, so let’s see what offers he receives, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up moving to the Premier League, especially as so many of the clubs there are having to think about how to approach the market sensibly due to potential PSR infringements.

The post Transfer news: Leny Yoro to Man Utd one of the signings of the summer, Neves to PSG, and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Transfer news: Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United, Xavi Simons swap deal, Todibo snub, & more

Jonathan Johnson — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 19:30:00 +0000

Good time for PSG to sell Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United

Manuel Ugarte has been discussed as a transfer target for Manchester United and it’s an interesting story after he only arrived at PSG last summer to great fanfare. He joined from Sporting Lisbon for a big price tag and started well, though he then dropped off quite significantly, especially after PSG’s Champions League adventure started.

I think the biggest issue for Ugarte at PSG was that he was signed before Luis Enrique’s arrival as manager was properly finalised. Enrique simply doesn’t play in a style that has space for someone of Ugarte’s profile. He was not signed off by Enrique, so when he inherited the squad, as much as others at PSG thought he would be a good signing, the Uruguayan has ended up being one of a number of signings from last summer to have not quite bedded in as well as many would have expected.

So, Ugarte to United seems to have gathered pace quite significantly and it’s not too surprising. I think Ugarte is tailor-made for the Premier League and I think the drop-off from Casemiro in the season just gone means it’s normal United would be looking for a profile like that to replace him.

It’s also a good time for PSG to sell Ugarte because he’s in good form for the Uruguay national team at Copa America, so the fact that he’s performing well at an international tournament means his value won’t drop as drastically as it may have done as he’s not been that important at club level in the second half of last season. So it makes sense for PSG, United, and for the player.

A lot of the interest in Ugarte prior to his move to PSG was from clubs in Italy, and it would probably now be quite difficult to find as many Serie A teams who can pay the same sort of fee and wages that United can, so that would have been difficult for PSG in terms of extracting the best possible value from him this summer.

Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United?

It’s a critical moment as well because if this drags on and Ugarte finds himself out of favour with Enrique at the start of the new season with PSG, it will become that much harder for them to command the kind of fee they’ll want, and perhaps even half what they paid for him 12 months ago. If he goes now, PSG won’t make as much of a loss.

Hard to see potential for PSG-United swap deals

There’s also been talk of PSG and United discussing a few other players as well as Ugarte, but it’s hard to see anyone in Erik ten Hag’s squad that would be what PSG are looking for right now.

There are of course a couple of United players that have been looked at by PSG in the last few years, for example Marcus Rashford, but it’s hard to see anyone that would make sense as being part of a deal for Ugarte. There are some potentially interesting profiles like Willy Kambwala, for instance, who could develop in the future and who could be useful cover for the injured Lucas Hernandez, who is likely to miss much of next season.

Other than that, I think it’s very difficult to identify a top player outside of Rashford who PSG might have thought there’s something they can do with. The only others who’d interest PSG are surely players United wouldn’t be ready to let go. Ugarte is a good midfield destroyer, but he’s also not the most eye-catching of players, so there will probably be a temptation in the end to jus stick to a cut and dry transfer fee that suits both clubs best, rather than any star names getting involved in the other direction.

Jean Clair-Todibo may snub West Ham transfer to stay at Nice

Jean-Clair Todibo’s potential move to Manchester United now looks problematic due to both INEOS-owned Nice and Man United being in the same European competition next season, catching the attention of the footballing authorities.

The situation with Todibo remains open, with the main offer coming in so far this summer being from West Ham, I believe, and though a move to the Premier League would appeal to Todibo, it’s not, I’m told, the destination he had in mind, as it’s not the same calibre of other clubs who’ve been chasing his signature in the last few months.

My understanding is that there’s now more of a willingness from Todibo to see how things go at Nice this coming season. There is the feeling that there could be an interesting project worth staying on for at Nice, though there might also be a willingness to wait and see if the United and Nice links via INEOS are cleared up in the next 6-12 months.

Todibo won’t miss out on European football if he stays this season at Nice, and he might look at the France squad at Euro 2024, and think that, although William Saliba has now made a starting place his own, there might be an opportunity to partner him in Didier Deschamps’ side at the expense of Dayot Upamecano.

It’s important for Todibo to consider the right move so he can be in the best position possible to put pressure on for that place with Les Bleus at the 2026 World Cup. These will all be considerations, so I think it’s safe to say West Ham don’t live up to Todibo’s expectations given the calibre of clubs to be linked with him in the last year or so.

Kingsley Coman to PSG is one to watch following Michael Olise to Bayern deal

The situation with Kingsley Coman looks pretty intriguing now that Michael Olise is close to joining Bayern Munich, who we also know are looking to move a few players on this summer. PSG are a club who could end up doing business with Bayern because of Xavi Simons – it’s difficult because PSG really don’t want to let him go, but it could be that Bayern will come to the table with players on offer.

If that happens, one name likely to be discussed could be Coman. He’s home-grown, which is important to PSG, so I think there’d be some consideration from them towards Coman, even if the downsides are that he’s quite injury prone and would be on a high salary.

It’s impossible to see Coman going anywhere else in France at the moment, given the concerning issue of there still being no TV deal in place – a major problem for French football as a whole. I do think Bayern’s purge won’t stop at Coman, there are a number of other players they’d like to move on and I think Joshua Kimmich is another PSG will be keeping an eye on, while there’s potentially also interest in Mathys Tel, who we know is not happy to be staying behind Harry Kane in the pecking order in Munich.

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If PSG end up doing a deal for Xavi Simons in the end, it is likely to focus on one or maybe even two Bayern players moving in the other direction, so Coman could be one to be included in the deal, but there’s still a long way to go until. Simons’ Euros with the Netherlands is over. So there’s no movement on that front right now even if Bayern have very much positioned themselves to pick him up.

In terms of Olise going to Bayern, it’s an interesting move. It’s quite a big jump to go from Crystal Palace to a big club like Bayern, but I think he’ll get the developmental programme laid out in front of him that he probably needs to get up to speed. I do think Bayern are looking to go in a different direction now, so if Olise manages to get regular minutes that will put him on Deschamps’ radar, but I do think it’s going to be quite a challenge as well, so a lot will depend on how quickly he adapts and makes himself a contender for regular selection.

I think it’s a good move for Bayern and for Olise, but there is substantial risk attached as well, as I thought when he was previously also linked with PSG and other big clubs.

The post Transfer news: Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United, Xavi Simons swap deal, Todibo snub, & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Transfer news: Fofana to Arsenal, Maignan to Man City, major Lille exodus, Mbappe brother to move too

Jonathan Johnson — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 21:00:00 +0000

Could Ethan Mbappe follow his brother out of PSG?

Kylian Mbappe’s transfer to Real Madrid has now been made official, as expected, with Paris Saint-Germain having no issue with the player being announced as a new signing for the European champions even though he’s technically still under contract at the Parc des Princes until the end of this month.

But we’ve also heard some speculation about Kylian’s brother Ethan Mbappe in recent times. Lille and a number of other clubs are keen on him, but Lille seems at the moment to be the most credible destination for him to move to. It does feel like he is going to be following his older brother in leaving PSG, and I think it’s safe to say that, after the trading of barbs in the media between Mbappe and PSG, that the relations between the two parties are definitely strained.

I expect Ethan Mbappe will now move elsewhere, and at one point there was even some fanciful speculation about him moving to Real Madrid as well, but Lille is one of the more serious links. I think it would be a good fit for both the player and the club if it does end up going through.

The younger Mbappe is highly rated, but it’s also difficult when there’s the obvious comparison with an older sibling who is the superstar not just of French football but of world football. It’s a bit unfair because Ethan has earned the senior minutes he’s had with PSG, and had the Kylian situation not compromised his potential future with PSG, he might’ve been a player to break into the team and have a pathway to becoming a key part of the starting XI.

It’s fair to say that now seems unlikely, so Mbappe Junior will likely have to spread his wings and go somewhere else. Lille looks a strong possibility, though the situation with the new head coach to replace Paulo Fonseca will need to be resolved first, with Bruno Genesio the favourite for the job but not confirmed yet. Until that’s sorted out it will be difficult for the deal to get done.

Still, PSG, in this kind of situation, tend to get an advantageous buy-back clause inserted, or a healthy percentage of the next sale, so they’ll be fairly well covered if Ethan Mbappe’s rise mirrors that of Kylian’s, but in general I think they’ll be keen to cut ties with Mbappe’s family and entourage as a whole, not just Kylian himself.

Monaco may have to sell Arsenal target Youssouf Fofana

Youssouf Fofana has been linked again with Arsenal and we know that Monaco have to sell to survive this summer. Getting back into the Champions League lessens that need slightly, so they can be a bit more demanding with the price tag, but in general it makes sense that we’re seeing links with clubs like Arsenal as he is a player who I understand is sought after across Europe at the moment, not just at Arsenal and the Premier League, but PSG have been looking at him as well as he’s a top French talent who hails from the Paris region.

In terms of Fofana’s price tag, I don’t think we’ll see a similar price tag to when Aurelien Tchouameni went to Real Madrid a couple of years ago. But I do think that Monaco will be looking for upwards of around €50m, which makes it tricky for a club like PSG right now with the uncertainty over Ligue 1 TV rights. That could make it quite an advantageous situation for a club like Arsenal or anyone else in the Premier League who might be interested.

I think in general a number of top European clubs will be looking at the situation that French and Italian clubs find themselves in at this moment in time regarding TV rights and will hope to take advantage of that uncertainty, and perhaps hope to land a couple of high-profile names for competitive rates, if not bargain prices.

With Fofana and Monaco, even at the best of times it’s clear that Monaco aren’t in a position to turn down that kind of interest and substantial offers for a player of Fofana’s calibre, so if the TV rights situation drags on for any longer they will have no choice, so it’s one to keep an eye on and it’s likely to be one of the bigger sales we see by a Ligue 1 club this summer.

Tiago Santos transfer could be one to watch as interest in Lille stars grows

Tiago Santos is another Ligue 1 talent attracting interest and it’s not a surprise to see big names like Juventus and AC Milan linked with the 21-year-old right-back. He’s done very well at Lille under Fonseca, and, having had the chance to see him up close a few times this season, I’ve always been very impressed with him – he does seem like one of a few players at Lille who could be on the move.

As well as Santos, names to watch at Lille will be Leny Yoro, Jonathan David, and Edon Zhegrova, but Santos is certainly up there. This is a big summer for Lille because they need to capitalise on their latest qualification for Europe and not lose too much talent, but at the same time, under a new coach, they need to start building for the future and shaping their team in a bit of a different way.

If that means selling Santos to enable a bit of movement elsewhere, and perhaps keeping one of their other bigger names for next season, then I think that’s something Lille would be keen to explore. You just have to look at the latest France squad for the Olympics, you just have to look at the young talent Lille have in defence in particular, so I think there’ll be more interest there at some point, and with Santos it also wouldn’t surprise me if a Premier League club does come calling.

Similarly to Fofana’s future, it could depend a lot on the TV rights deal for Ligue 1, as well as the timing of the interest, with the French transfer window opening this Monday.

Mike Maignan to Manchester City or PSG would likely cost at least €50m

AC Milan and France goalkeeper Mike Maignan is a player of interest to a number of top European clubs at the moment. There have been some links with Manchester City as a potential replacement for Ederson, while my understanding is that PSG have also been looking at his situation potentially with a view to bringing him back at some point in the future.

There are big questions about Gianluigi Donnarumma in terms of whether he’s really the right fit for Luis Enrique’s style of play, and there is an expectation that PSG will complete one of their first signings of the summer with Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov to provide competition for Donnarumma. It will be interesting to see, if that does get completed, what that might mean for Donnarumma for the long term.

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I certainly think a move for someone like Maignan would be interesting as well because it might then mean PSG are tempted to consider offers for Donnarumma, who might then be an option to replace Ederson at Man City. He might not be the best fit for Pep Guardiola, but then there are questions about his future as well, and where he sees himself, and PSG have historically had an interest in Bernardo Silva as well, so perhaps there’s a deal to be done there.

City, of course, have a very talented backup goalkeeper in Stefan Ortega, so it’s probably a situation where Maignan would want guarantees that he’d be the first choice and undisputed starter, especially as he’s now number one for Les Bleus as well, so I think that would be a prerequisite before any club comes in, and given that he’s one of Milan’s top players, it’s difficult to see them not asking for a significant transfer fee in the region of €50m, given that he’s one of the top talents on the goalkeeping market.

It’s an interesting story, and one to keep an eye on, but it’s not necessarily one I’m convinced will end up leading to Maignan joining City.

The post Transfer news: Fofana to Arsenal, Maignan to Man City, major Lille exodus, Mbappe brother to move too appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Transfer news: Mbappe-PSG row, possible midfielder loan, Kolo Muani’s future, & more

Jonathan Johnson — Thu, 23 May 2024 21:45:00 +0000

Kylian Mbappe’s PSG exit not on as friendly terms as some would’ve hoped

There have been murmurings of a bit of a bust-up between Kylian Mbappe and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi as he prepares to leave the club. The feeling around Mbappe’s camp is obviously one of disappointment after what happened in the Champions League, and maybe a bit of frustration that the mission that he set himself is not quite complete.

Still, in terms of the communication on Mbappe’s future, there’s been a bit of a divergence from how the player and the club have gone about things. PSG had quite a strict plan in place for how things were going to happen and to be communicated, and they feel this hasn’t always been respected.

Rumours of a bust-up between Mbappe and Al-Khelaifi have been shot down quite quickly by PSG, so we’ll see, with one game left in the Coupe de France final, what kind of role Mbappe will p[ay, but the feeling is certainly that it’s not ending in as friendly or as positive a way as it could have.

Equally, there was an inevitability of this relationship coming to an end and maybe people were a bit surprised at how quickly Mbappe’s farewell video came out after losing the Champions League semi-final to Borussia Dortmund, but at the same time no one was under any illusions that that was what was going to happen, so there was no point in not communicating about it once the one main remaining objective for PSG’s season was taken out of reach.

Kylian Mbappe is set to leave PSG

I think there’s also a sense of relief that there’s finally some clarity and that everyone can move forward, and that’s not just from PSG and Mbappe but also from Ligue 1, which until this moment in time remains without a signed, sealed and delivered TV rights deal starting next season, so there’s lots to work towards in the next couple of weeks for all parties.

Could Manuel Ugarte leave PSG already?

There’s been speculation about Manuel Ugarte possibly leaving PSG already, but he started the season well and looked like one of the signings of the summer. It’s been an interesting situation because as the season’s gone on he’s just completely fallen off quite alarmingly. I think he started to come into difficulties in PSG’s Champions League group stage campaign, which was not easy for the whole team, particularly with that blowout 4-1 loss away to Newcastle.

I think Ugarte really became a victim of Luis Enrique and PSG experimenting with a lot of different options and finally settling upon a balanced midfield three which didn’t really need the kind of profile that Ugarte brings.

Still, when I look at the PSG midfield as it is now, and at Ugarte’s first season difficulties, I recall that it’s been quite similar for him as it was with Vitinha, who also struggled to get going in his first season in Paris. He started really well before tailing off, and he needed the reset that came with Enrique in order to thrive, which he’s now doing, so it’s possible that Ugarte now requires the same.

I think the main difficulty from Enrique’s point of view is the technical aspect of things, with Ugarte not quite at the technical level that Enrique would ideally like to have in that midfield alongside Warren Zaire-Emery and Vitinha. I think he really needs all those players to have really high technical ability, which is why Fabian Ruiz has found favour in recent weeks, although he’s not necessarily considered a long-term key piece.

There is a possibility that PSG will look at Ugarte’s situation this summer and decide to opt for him to move on or to at least loan him out, but I think there’ll also be a large element of Enrique having a decision to make on whether he can advance with Ugarte and perhaps he will reach a higher level in his second season now that he’s more comfortable in his surroundings and with his teammates.

Still, it doesn’t change the fact that Enrique doesn’t tend to utilise players of that profile very often, and that’s why the links with Bruno Guimaraes make so much sense, and there are links with Youssouf Fofana at Monaco now as well. It is a possibility that Ugarte could loan go out on loan, perhaps to Serie A or elsewhere, but things certainly haven’t worked out quite how people thought they would, so it’s a big summer for him.

Randal Kolo Muani exit would be surprising at this stage

Randal Kolo Muani has been linked with Borussia Dortmund and I think he’s been very unlucky in many ways. Obviously he came in to the PSG attacking rotation at a time when the Kylian Mbappe situation was still flip-flopping a bit, and he came in alongside Goncalo Ramos, with both players struggling at first but with Ramos growing in stature a bit as the season’s gone on.

Kolo Muani hasn’t featured much at all, but the feeling is that he will feature a lot more next season now that Mbappe’s leaving and PSG will rebuild their attack. Given how much money they’ve spent on Kolo Muani, I can’t see them throwing in the towel, but there just hasn’t been the flexibility with the attack so far in order to bring him and Ramos into the fold.

I expect them both to play far more important roles next season than they have this, but it’s still quite an awkward attacking line up for Enrique to put together in terms of his starting XI. It will also be interesting to see what happens with Ousmane Dembele’s position next season, because if he moves into a more central number 10 role there is a possibility that he could play behind Ramos and Kolo Muani. But obviously that would impact PSG massively because of their width, though with Nuno Mendes returning from injury there’s a lot more with now coming from wing-backs like him and Achraf Hakimi.

It could be that we’ll see PSG look a bit more attack-minded next season, but with a lot of the width coming from the wing-backs as opposed to players like Dembele and Mbappe who’ve played out wide this season.

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It’s worth saying, though, that a front two is not really a system Enrique has ever played with any real regularity. So it could be a lot of work to get both Ramos and Kolo Muani in his XI, and it’s hard to see Bradley Barcola being overlooked after his form this season. Marco Asensio is another player to think about, so there are maybe five players in that position that Enrique needs to give regular game time to next season, so it could be that perhaps Enrique balances between a three-man attack and a two-man unit with a creator behind.

Kolo Muani might have to adapt and sometimes play out wide, but overall I don’t think we’ll see him leave PSG this summer without him being given more of a chance, considering how much they invested in him.

Michael Olise and other big names miss out on France squad

Didier Deschamps has selected his France squad for Euro 2024 and one name missing that got a lot of attention was in-form Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise. The France squad overall is very interesting, particularly some of the defensive choices, though of course Deschamps’ hand was unfortunately forced a little with the Lucas Hernandez injury.

Still, you can see how spoilt for choice France are when you look at the names that missed out. Players like Axel Disasi and Malo Gusto had their moments at Chelsea this season, but overall it was fairly disappointing for them as we’ve seen with Mauricio Pochettino moving on. Then someone like Jean-Clair Todibo started the season very well with Nice but didn’t make it in at all, so I think it’s a reflection again that Deschamps has been very sure in his mind about the players he likes and can make a group out of, and those he feels are perhaps a bit more problematic.

Others like Moussa Diaby and Christopher Nkunku also missed out, though the latter of those is quite understandable after his injury problems. With Diaby, it’s just a question of consistency, and he hasn’t been as consistent as he could’ve been with Aston Villa over the course of the season, especially when he failed to impress when he was given a chance on the last international break.

We’ve seen Deschamps fall back on players he knows he can trust again, with the likes of Kolo Muani coming in despite barely kicking a ball for PSG, and Olivier Giroud despite Deschamps knowing that he’s going to be dropping off and going to the MLS after this tournament and we can definitely say this will be his farewell. At the same time, though, Deschamps will go back to basics and go with the players he trusts, and Giroud is one of those.

So it’s not too surprising to see Deschamps making these choices, though if I were to pick one name I wasn’t expecting it’s N’Golo Kante coming back completely out of the blue. You’d assume that’s related to experience, but then also Warren Zaire-Emery making it in despite a frustrating first season when he’s really struggled with injuries, so it’s maybe the midfield of that squad that’s maybe a bit more compromised than other areas.

This is a big opportunity for William Saliba to make himself a cornerstone of this team – he’s someone who has a lot to gain from hitting the ground running in this tournament.

The post Transfer news: Mbappe-PSG row, possible midfielder loan, Kolo Muani’s future, & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Transfer news: Xavi Simons to Arsenal or Chelsea? Plus PSG alternatives to Victor Osimhen & more

Jonathan Johnson — Thu, 09 May 2024 21:25:00 +0000

PSG keen for Xavi Simons to return for next season

A lot has been written about Xavi Simons’ future recently after his fine form on loan at RB Leipzig, and my latest understanding of the situation is that, assuming that Kylian Mbappe is leaving PSG, Simons will probably be under consideration for a place in Luis Enrique’s team for next season.

I find it hard to see another loan for the Dutch midfielder, and certainly a full season loan at Leipzig or anywhere else. Given his success with Leipzig, I also don’t think a loan move to another club would make any sense, so I’d put his future between Paris and Leipzig. Still, as much as Leipzig would want to keep him, I don’t see another full season loan in Germany so I think PSG will be very keen to get him involved in Enrique’s first-team squad next season.

It will be interesting to see if that’s what Enrique wants, but based on what he’s said publicly, he seems very keen on Simons’ profile. There’s been talk of potential offers from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, and Barcelona, but I think it would have to depend on the offer, because I don’t really see PSG doing business unless there’s an offer that’s deemed too good to turn down.

I expect decisions to be made soon, and PSG’s preparations for next season can even start now, given that they’ve gone out of the Champions League. There’s still a cup final to win, but Ligue 1 has been confirmed, so Enrique can start discussing with the club which positions need reinforcing and how Simons might fit into his plans for next season.

Bernardo Silva looks more of a priority than Victor Osimhen for PSG

Victor Osimhen to PSG is another story making the headlines at the moment, and while I don’t know if he’d be their absolute priority target, he certainly is a name that they’ve looked at, along with Benjamin Sesko.

With Mbappe leaving, there’s a few players PSG have looked at to strengthen in attack, but I think at the same time, as we’ve seen from PSG in the Champions League this season, a new striker is not necessarily a priority. PSG’s main problems are not necessarily through the middle – Goncalo Ramos has shown enough form (despite not being able to find the target against Borussia Dortmund) that he could be the man to be PSG’s number 9. He’s shown he can score goals, netting 14 in all competitions so far this season.

So when you look at what PSG already have in attack, not only with Ramos as the focal point but also with Randal Kolo Muani as an option at central striker, plus Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Marco Asensio out wide, I don’t think that a new number 9 like Osimhen solves the issue of replacing Mbappe.

A bigger issue is some of the build-up play. In midfield, I think, and most people are in agreement, one other midfielder to go alongside Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery probably makes sense. There’s been long-standing links with Bernardo Silva and I think that kind of profile could be interesting, because even though this relatively young PSG squad was capable of going far in the Champions League this season, a little bit more experience could still be very useful.

So, overall I think names like Bernardo Silva and Bruno Guimaraes, that kind of profile, could come up higher on PSG’s list than someone like Osimhen. Silva and Guimaraes are also two players who know the French league quite well, so while I wouldn’t completely rule PSG out of the race for Osimhen at this moment in time, I wouldn’t necessarily put him at the front of the queue either. I think PSG will feel they have other needs in other positions ahead of the number 9 position.

Renato Sanches to leave PSG – could Saudi be his next move?

Things have not gone brilliantly for Renato Sanches on loan at Roma this season, and it’s not easy to see where he goes next as he’s set to return to PSG. It feels similar to the Georginio Wijnaldum saga, so maybe Sanches could tread a similar path and go somewhere like Saudi Arabia.

Still, at this moment in time it’s difficult to be sure what will happen next with Sanches. One thing that seems likely is that he won’t be part of what Luis Enrique wants to do next season, so it’s logical to assume he’ll be on the move and looking for a transfer, but who might be interested in taking him after a disappointing spell at both PSG and Roma remains to be seen.

I could see Sanches perhaps looking for an opportunity in Saudi Arabia to get his career back on track, and then an opportunity to bounce back in Europe after that. For now, though, his wages at PSG make most moves in Europe difficult for him – any interested teams would probably want him on loan first, so either he goes out on loan again or he ends up making a permanent move away to somewhere like Saudi before then getting picked up by a European team again in a year or two if he’s rebounded sufficiently.

PSG dealt UCL heartbreak again – but this is not like some of their other exits

I thought PSG’s semi-final against Borussia Dortmund was a really absorbing spectacle. It was an unexpected outcome – I think PSG can feel aggrieved as it was a really good opportunity to get to the final and one that was ultimately wasted, but I think there were lessons to be learned as well. They had a really good opportunity to reach the final and possibly win their first title, but, despite showing more in their exit than they have in the past, I think it still shows they’ve got a bit of a way to go.

Partly, they could do with more experience and being a bit sharper in front of goal. Still, this PSG side looks like being on the right path to challenge for Champions League success in the future, perhaps with a few changes. Obviously one of those will be with Mbappe leaving, and this wouldn’t have been the way he wanted to sign off with PSG, but at the end of the day he was fairly ineffectual over the two legs of the semi-final, and for most of the quarter-final as well. It was within his power to decide how PSG went out of the Champions League, and they went out the way they did without him being a major influence, so that’ll be a big disappointment to him, especially in his aim to put together a convincing challenge for the Ballon d’Or.

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