PSG- On a Mission to Conquer France and Europe

Ligue 1, Opinion, Paris St.Germain, Transfer Market
By O-Posts Team
Sep 5, 2021

When the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) TOOK OVER the reins at the Capital club, changes were expected.. How quick and rapid the changes would be was the main thing. Represented by President Al-Khelaifi, they haven’t at all disappointed. In actual fact, Europe is in awe at what can be described as power changing hands.

Last season, the Parisiens brought in former Inter and AC Milan manager, Leonardo to become Sports Director at the club where he once plied his trade as a player. The Brazilian has done well thus far, convincing the likes of Javier Pastore, Salvatore Sirigu, Thiago Motta, Momo Sissoko, etc to join the ambitious outfit.

Last season wasn’t exactly a smooth sail. Rene Girard and Montpellier surprisingly won the League against all odds with the likes of Younes Belhanda, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Oliver Giroud catching the eye, with the latter now wearing the famous red shirt of Arsenal. Before then, Antoine Kombouare had been shown the exit door and seasoned coach, Carlo Ancelotti was brought in to captain the ship. Coming 2nd and exiting the Europa League early was something that didn’t go down well with the Qatari billionaires. Instead of ringing the changes in the coaching department, they decided to recruit some of the best footballers on the planet.

It came initially as a speculation that PSG signified interest in Milan’s 2 most important treasures, ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC AND THIAGO SILVA. However, rumours became true when it was reported that Silvio Berlusconi (Milan Owner) had rejected a bid in the region of 60 million euros for the aforementioned pair. Senior figures and players in the Milanese club applauded the decision and it was believed that the case was now a foregone conclusion.

But in a complete turnaround likened to a ‘NEVER SAY NEVER’ scenario, media houses all over the world went haywire with the news that Milan and Berlusconi had indeed gone back on their decision and of course accepted to sell Ibra and T.Silva to PSG subject to medical examinations and personal terms agreements. Thiago Silva reportedly signed his contract at a hotel in Rio d’Janeiro. The deal to take Ibrahimovic and Silva to the Parc de Princes was in the region of 51 million pounds. Football aficionados and pundits alike lambasted Milan for allowing such a painful sale. Milan fans were filled with uncontrollable rage and despair, understandable given the importance and status of the duo within the Rossoneri.

PSG also stormed the city of Naples earlier in the transfer window to nab Argentine star, Ezequiel Lavezzi from under the nose of Film Production mogul and Napoli Owner, Aurelio de Laurentiis. The man had no choice but to let his prized asset ‘El Pocho’ Lavezzi depart the Neapolitan club for Paris for a fee of about 30 million Euros. They were not done with the Serie A yet. Promising Pescara playmaker, Marco Verratti was lured to the Parc for another 12-15 million Euros. Dutch first choice right back and Ajax ace, Gregory Van Der Wiel joined the French club for a reported 6-9 million Euros (by far the cheapest transfer fee).

Ambition is a very important ingredient of success. PSG have made a statement of intent and purpose with the signings they have made in the past 2 years. Imagine a squad comprising of Sirigu, Maxwell, Thiago Silva. Alex,Lugano, Mama Sakho, Matuidi, Bodmer, Ibra, Lavezzi, ‘El Flaco’ Pastore, Menez, Nene, Jallet, Motta, Verratti, Gameiro, Hoarau, Tiene , etc. No matter how much confidence other European heavyweights have, they must be well aware that the Parisiens have come to mount a serious challenge on all titles on offer.

Sports Director, Leonardo Nascimento de Araujo aka ‘Leonardo’ whose 43rd birthday is today, has been spot on regarding the club’s transfers so far. Although Javier Pastore (40 million euro signing from Palermo) did not live up to expectations last season, everyone is well aware of his exceptional talent and he is quite young. There’s still a lot of time for him to light up Ligue 1 and the World.

In Adrien Rabiot, PSG have a young, brilliant and promising teenage prospect who will be given chances to shine by Coach Carlo. The bench also has Claude Makelele who’s one of the best footballers to grace the pitch and will give expert opinion to the likes of Matuidi and Sissoko who already have bags of it.

The summer spending spree of the Parisisn side shows that they intend to gatecrash into places where angels dare to tread. It wouldn’t be a thing of amazement if they win Ligue 1 for years and years on end.

In Zlatan Ibrahimovic, they possess a man who knows how to win. The former Ajax, Juve, Barca, Milan, Inter and Malmo striker is one of the best footballers in the world at the moment and he can go on to become an all time great at the capital club if he repeats the heroics he has shown at previous places of employ. If he scores goals, he’ll be put in the same bracket as Pauleta and Carlos Bianchi (The latter scored 71 goals in 80 matches for la Parisien), two of Ligue 1’s finest ever strikers.

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