Talented PSG academy stars weigh their futures as Bayern and English giants circle, forcing the club to fight for its prized youngsters.
PSG has one of the best training centers in France. Many titis are knocking on the door of the first team. For some of them, PSG does not want to hear about a departure.
Since his arrival at PSG in the summer of 2023, Luis Enrique has not hesitated to trust many of his players by giving them playing time or throwing them into the deep end. If the capital club would like to keep all its titis, that is obviously not possible.
Some decide to leave their formative club to get playing time and launch their careers, knowing it would be difficult for them at PSG, while others manage to carve out a place in Luis Enrique's squad. PSG is trying to retain several titis who are highly courted.
As reported by L'Equipe, PSG hopes to convince Mathis Jangeal, a pillar of the Rouge & Bleu's Youth League team and who has made two professional appearances, to join the club, against Auxerre last September and against Fontenay (N3) in the Coupe de France at the end of December. Out of contract next June, the titi is attracting interest in Germany and Spain.
Aware of the competition, PSG made him a professional contract proposal at the end of the year. For now, without a response, assures the cited outlet. "The symbolic stake is strong in Paris for a player who, on his intrinsic qualities, can have a projection into the first team. Some of his trainers have perceived him on 'alternating current' in recent weeks.
As if the questions about his future were beginning to weigh on him, consciously or not. The player, who is part of Jorge Mendes' stable, will have to decide in the coming months. In his entourage, they recall the player's and his family's 'deep' attachment to PSG and a desire to stay in Paris. While wondering – legitimately – about the potential place left in a first team where in these positions, beyond Quentin Ndjantou (18), Paris recruited Barcelona's Dro Fernandez (18) this winter."
The departure, last summer, of a certain number of talents (Axel Tape, Oumar Camara, and Mahamadou Sangare) had raised questions. Up to the highest summit of the club, where Nasser Al-Khelaifi had asked for explanations. PSG is now determined to anticipate such situations.
Yohan Cabaye's teams have therefore opted, this year, for a more restrictive policy of professional contract proposals (in parallel with trainee pro contracts), but with anticipated deadlines. As for the 2008 generation, whose members are coming to the end of their aspiring contracts, PSG, beyond Mathis Jangeal, formulated professional contract proposals at the end of 2025.
Aimed, in particular, at two goalkeepers: Martin James (18 years old), who has appeared occasionally on the first team bench, and Arthur Vignaud (18 years old), the usual U19 goalkeeper, very comfortable against Bilbao in the Youth League (1-1). While Renato Marin (19) arrived last summer, neither has made a definitive decision. Emmanuel Mbemba (17 years old) and Hermann Malonga (18 years old) are perceived as very solid prospects.
Samba Coulibaly (17 years old) also has a professional contract offer. The first, sought after by Bayern Munich or more recently by Paris FC, should not stay at PSG. The second, injured in the hamstrings at the end of the year, has shown a desire to extend his adventure with the capital club. But no agreement has yet been found. He is being courted by solid German and English clubs, according to L'Equipe.
Finally, Pierre Mounguengue (18) is one of the season's revelations. PSG has indicated that it intends to sign him professionally. The U18 international also has an offer from an English club, a Belgian club, and French interests.
For its part, Le Parisien tries to explain why PSG's titis are slow to sign their first professional contract. The capital club has until April 30 to send its proposals, or risk seeing them leave without training compensation. But the leaders did not wait until this date to reveal their intentions, according to the Parisian outlet.
The latter explains that, according to its information, seven players from the academy have been informed that they will be offered a first professional contract: Mathis Jangeal (attacking midfielder, 17), Hermann Diandaga (defender, 18), Samba Coulibaly (defender, 17), Emmanuel Mbemba (defender, 17), Pierre Mounguengue (forward, 18), Martin James (goalkeeper, 18) and Arthur Vignaud (goalkeeper, 18).
For the moment, none have responded favorably, but, as every year, exchanges should accelerate as spring approaches. Paris must also contend with the interests of foreign clubs seeking to divert them from the French capital, the Parisian outlet assures. Some, like Jangeal and Diandaga, have had an offer in their hands for several months. They are prioritizing PSG and moving forward serenely in negotiations, while keeping in mind that other clubs are in the running.
There is no hurry, neither for PSG nor for its young players. But the money-time is approaching, and the development space at the next level will be one of the main arguments when deciding their future. A challenge for the Parisian club, which hopes to convince them to stay.