With the summer transfer window now, at long last, finally over, let's look back at the past three months and analyse how things have gone in the market for PSG.
Yesterday (Tuesday, the 1st of September), the summer transfer window slammed shut for all of Western Europe, therefore including PSG.
So, what better time to analyse the summer transfer window in depth than now?
It was a busy few months for PSG. Alessandro Longoni (AC Milan), Maghnes Akliouche (AS Monaco), Mika Godts (AFC Ajax), Ferran Torres (FC Barcelona), and Lucas Digne (Aston Villa) all joined the club.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Mbaye (Aston Villa), Bradley Barcola (Liverpool), Goncalo Ramos (AC Milan), Randal Kolo Muani (Juventus), and Lee Kang-in (Atletico Madrid) departed the club. Oh, and Renato Sanches had his contract terminated by mutual consent.
So, was this a good window? It’s always hard to say early, but we can try. There was probably more turnover than you’d expect for a team that have just won the UEFA Champions League for a second straight season, but a number of players were unhappy with their game time.
The midfield has pretty much stayed the same, which is always good. The defence is largely the same, with extra depth in Digne added, so in a worst case scenario it is no different. Most of the change has been in the front line.
Torres is a good player, and overall an upgrade on Ramos, particularly when you factor in his versatility. He has already hit the ground running with his debut brace away to Rennes on opening day.
Although there is definitely potential with Godts, right now it is hard to argue that he is a better player than Barcola. Maybe he will go onto be better one day, but right now the depth has weakened from this trade.
On the right, Akliouche is not a better player than Lee Kang-in at this moment in time. Again, he could be at some point, but in this piece we are working on the here and now.
Then, when you consider the ‘spare’ attacker, Mbaye who also played on the right hand side, it becomes objectively difficult to argue that PSG have become weaker on that right hand side.
Plus, with Barcola and Mbaye now gone, the side lack that blistering outlet to stretch and run in behind defences. So the individual level has weakened, and the profile of player has become more predictable.
So, whilst the depth up front has upgraded, and the defensive depth has been somewhat increased, these potential issues give us the overall version that PSG have slightly weakened during this summer transfer window.
