SERGEI SUPINSKY
From Pogba to Roanldo Neymar and Varane: outlining PSG transfer strategies
The Ligue1 side will have a budget of € 300 million to spend on new recruits in the summer (salaries excluded) and club’s owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi is expected to spend big especially on new strikers. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic who will probably move out from the Parc des Princes in the summer and Edinson Cavani looking for a ‘change of scenery’ next season, Barcelona’s ace Neymar will be the club’s priority signing in the summer window.
The Brazilian star has a € 193 million release clause included on his contract and PSG could decide to pay that amount of money and seal the player’s transfer offering him € 25 million a year. However, should the Brazilian turn down a move to France deciding to extend his stay at the Camp Nou, PSG would enter transfer talks to sign Cristiano Ronaldo.
PSG are on very good terms with the Portuguese’s agent Jorge Mendes who has already brought Angel Di Maria to the Parc des Princes last summer. Ronaldo, 30, could be interested in joining a new club after his experience at Real Madrid. His price-tag? Definitely more than € 100 million, but, as you may know, money seems to be no problem for the wealthy PSG owner. Romelu Lukaku (€ 35 million) and Antoine Griezmann are two more targets, though the Atletico star is believed to stay at the Calderon next season too.
As far as PSG’s defence is concerned, Salvatore Sirigu will probably move back to Serie A (probably Fiorentina), while Marquinhos is expected to pack his suitcase and fly to Barcelona. Raphael Varane is the name on top of the French side’s wish-list, whilst Jordan Lukaku (brother to Romelu) is the man who could replace Maxwell on the left flank. Inter target Gregory van der Wiel is also going to leave the club as his contract expires in June.
Midfield: Hatem Ben Arfa will join the Ligue1 defending champions as a free agent. PSG have also set sights on Lassana Diarra, thought the French midfielder has recently ruled out a summer move to the Parc des Princes.
Paul Pogba and Toni Kroos are the big names for the middle of the pitch. The Juventus’ ace costs more than € 100 million, the Germany International around € 40-50 million. Javier Pastore is expected to stay, despite interest from both Liverpool and Juventus.
What about the manager? Laurent Blanc is still on the brink due to his disappointment results in Champions League. Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger could be an option, though it will be hard to see him leaving the Emirates, AC Milan target Manuel Pellegrini and former Chelsea boss José Moruinho are believed to be the most plausible options to replace the 1998 France World Cup winner on PSG’s bench.
Matteo Serra, translated by Lorenzo Bettoni @lorebetto
