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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

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.

The post Transfer news: What Man Utd can expect from Ugarte, Mbappe’s row with PSG, Cherki future & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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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?

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.

The post Transfer news: Desire Doue PSG close, Man United midfielder boost, Arsenal legend’s next move & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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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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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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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Having been so quiet when it mattered most for PSG, for most of the latter stages of the Champions League, it hasn’t really gone according to plan for Mbappe, though there’s still the Euros and the Olympics for him later this year, and potentially a big move to Real Madrid to look forward to.

For PSG, as disappointing as it is to lose home and away against Dortmund, it is not going to be as traumatic as some of their previous exits – the Remontada with Barcelona, or that 17-minute hat-trick by Karim Benzema for Real Madrid, or that game against Manchester United with Neymar standing on watching from the side-lines in disbelief. PSG can at least come out of this semi-final with the knowledge that they did their best – if you look at their numbers, they created so many chances that it’s incredible that they didn’t score a single goal over 180 minutes, but that’s football and you don’t always get what you deserve.

PSG probably didn’t deserve a 2-0 aggregate loss, but Dortmund took their chances when they came along and at the end of the day they deserve to be in the Champions League final. It’s not the same crisis that usually surrounds a PSG exit in the Champions League – I think getting to the semi-finals of this competition with a new manager and a big turnover of the squad is a big achievement, and now the question is about what minor tweaks and changes can be made to the group with the idea that Mbappe won’t be there next season.

There’s a lot to be encouraged by, even if that disappointment will linger because it was such a big opportunity to finally make the final and get that trophy that they’ve wanted for so long.

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PSG deserved their comeback victory against Barcelona

PSG’s comeback against Barcelona last week was superb, and in many ways arguably more impressive than La Remontada of 2017, because PSG just blew Barca away, rather than through any major refereeing controversy. I’m sure there will be a debate about the referee’s role in it, especially after Xavi’s comments after the game, but it doesn’t feel at all the same level as the Remontada of seven years ago, so I don’t buy that argument about Barca’s elimination from Xavi and his staff.

I think, overall, Luis Enrique got his game plan and his starting XI absolutely correct. I think the fact that he didn’t make a substitution until the final ten minutes shows that he absolutely nailed his team selection, which he didn’t do in the first leg, and I think that was a huge difference.

Achraf Hakimi being available again made a big difference, as it meant Enrique didn’t need to re-jig his defence again like he did in the first game – he took his team selection back to basics and it made a lot more sense than some of the decisions he made in the first leg, and consequently PSG put in a very good performance.

It’s important to remember that PSG started very well and that Barca scored their goal against the run of play. Ultimately, PSG’s dominance of the game had them where they deserved to be over the remainder of the game – they ultimately created the better chances. Of course Barcelona had a few more chances as they chased the game and Marquinhos made some important interventions for PSG, but ultimately there was only one team that deserved to win that second leg.

For PSG to turn it around the way they did, not only after losing the first leg at home, which is not something we see often – the last 25 teams to do so in the Champions League haven’t been able to turn it around – but then to go a further goal down as well, that speaks volumes for the team spirit that Enrique has created in this group. I think PSG are now made of much stronger stuff than in the past.

Bradley Barcola was really impressive, playing brilliantly in the second half of the first leg and for most of the second leg. Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha also shone across both matches, so those were some of the calls that Enrique got right and it’s a reminder of the good work PSG have done in the transfer market in recent times.

Enrique has generally managed his squad really well, in terms of rotating and keeping players fresh. People were talking earlier in the year of his supposed harsh treatment of Mbappe, but this rotation in Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France has kept his key players as fresh as possible for these big games in Europe, and the result of that is PSG getting to the semi-finals and having a proper shot at making the final.

Could we now be heading for a dramatic PSG vs Real Madrid final?

PSG will now face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals and some fans will obviously be looking ahead to a potential final against Real Madrid while Mbappe’s future is still up in the air, though I think it’s important to take these things one step at a time.

Can PSG be confident of getting past Dortmund in the semis? Absolutely. When you look, even though PSG finished behind Dortmund in the group stage earlier this season, they won at home and didn’t lose away, and if those results were to be replicated that would be enough to see PSG through to the final. Despite other results not going PSG’s way in the group stages, notably Newcastle and AC Milan away, I think PSG can be confident of getting past Dortmund.

Dortmund showed fantastic character to overcome Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals, but so too did PSG against Barcelona, and overall if you’re looking at both squads, in terms of difference-makers, you’d have to back PSG. They play the away leg first, which should favour PSG, similarly to when they met in 2020 just before Covid – if PSG can keep it tight I think they’ll fancy themselves to get past Dortmund and reach the final.

In terms of the final and a possible show-down with Real Madrid, it’s impossible not to consider this outcome, but, equally, there’s the possibility of a re-match of PSG and Bayern after their final meeting in 2020 – the only final PSG have ever made it to.

Still, as long as PSG and Real Madrid are both in the Champions League, there won’t be any clarity over Mbappe’s future. I don’t think there’ll be an official announcement from either club regarding his future, and in many ways, because of the potential optics of the two teams playing each other in the final, I think that could delay things even further. Then we’d be looking at probably closer to the end of Mbappe’s contract at the end of June, which then probably brings onto the horizon the possibility of Mbappe going to the Euros still with no announcement as to where his future lies.

Some people have asked me, would PSG beating Real in the final convince Mbappe to change his mind? I don’t think it would, I think it’s advanced to the point now that the expectation is that he will go to Madrid, it’s just about how it plays out. Obviously it would probably be less complicated and there would be less drama if it wasn’t PSG vs Real Madrid in the final, but, if it is, then I think there will be a focus, certainly on PSG’s side, that is more than just Mbappe against Real Madrid and what happens next; it’s a team effort and everything to get PSG there will have been collective, so I think they’ll try to down-play the Mbappe focus as much as possible.

But, step by step – first of all, we’re set for two really enthralling semi-finals, and there’s a lot that can and will happen. I think, looking at Real going up against Bayern Munich, there’s really now a strong case for Thomas Tuchel to try and work his magic and salvage something from this season with Bayern. There’s been speculation about Ralf Rangnick taking over from him once he leaves at the end of the season, but I’ve been wondering recently if there was a possibility of something similar to the situation with Xavi at Barcelona happening with Tuchel, should he lead Bayern to Champions League success.

Still, it looks like Tuchel himself will be a man in demand elsewhere, so imagine if he was to sign off with a Champions League success with Bayern before potentially going somewhere else and maybe returning to the Premier League – that would be an impressive achievement, particularly with how wretched Bayern’s season has been at times. So despite Mbappe and Real Madrid, there are a lot of other intriguing subplots that could play out in the final stages of this competition.

More joy for Ligue 1 sides in Europe as Marseille have a realistic shot at reaching the Europa League final

Marseille are through to the semi-finals of the Europa League and will play Atalanta. I’ve seen a lot of people saying that maybe Liverpool would’ve been a more favourable draw for Marseille, but I think they’d much rather be coming up against Atalanta. As much as Atalanta have done really well to get here and are in contention to get into the Champions League either through their league position in Serie A or by winning the Europa League title, I think that Marseille will feel that perhaps a lack of consistency from Gian Piero Gasperini’s side in comparison to Liverpool, they will feel that this is probably the better route for them.

Though, obviously, if you’d offered Liverpool in their current form to Marseille then I think you’d fancy them, with the Reds’ form dropping off a cliff massively, especially since that 3-0 loss at home to Atalanta. But in general this European run for OM is massive – they’ve been a different team in the Europa to in Ligue 1, where they’ve not been that great this season, so I think this is their best shot at being in Europe next season.

It’s going to be difficult for Marseille to be consistent enough to get the results they need in the league while they’re still in Europe, but as long as they’re still in the competition then I think they’re going to fancy themselves. If they can keep things tight in the away leg against Atalanta then I think they’ll feel confident that the Stade Velodrome crowd can roar them onto success, as it did against Benfica.

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The way that the semi-finals are weighted at the moment, it probably favours an Italian team more in terms of going on to win it, but I think Marseille will feel that they certainly have a chance have a real say on what happens, and I think so much of it depends on what happens in the away leg. If Marseille can avoid getting turned over in a similar way to how Liverpool got blown away, then Marseille will feel they’ll be able to do enough at home – you saw against Villarreal that the atmosphere destroyed the La Liga side.

If Marseille can replicate that and build up a comfortable lead at home then I think they’ll really see themselves as having a shot at reaching the final.

Desire Doue attracting interest after superb form for Rennes

There have been some transfer rumours circulating about Rennes wonderkid Desire Doue – he’s a very talented young player, very exciting. He’s still just 18 years old and looked a bit in and out at Rennes earlier this season, not necessarily seeing eye to eye with the management, but he’s now having a really good season.

I think his development is going really well, and his maturity has come on leaps and bounds, with the player now earning a bit more trust and being utilised to the best of his ability. A lot of clubs are now interested in his situation, and would be very happy to pick him up should he become available.

There was a scenario when he might’ve gone out on loan in the January transfer window, though obviously that situation has turned around quite substantially now and it’s bigger clubs showing an interest. I think the biggest thing that affects his future now will be whether or not Rennes qualify for Europe or not. At the moment they’re just a little bit behind the main spots and it’s going to be tough for them to really move up too many positions before the end of the season. They’re 7th now but four points behind Lens, six points behind Nice, so the best-case scenario for them is possibly 6th, but I’m not sure I see Lens falling away enough, while with Nice, it depends on if they can rescue themselves from this recent slump in form.

If PSG win the Coupe de France against Lyon then 7th position in Ligue 1 actually becomes a qualifying position in Europe, so that could impact Doue’s future. So that’s definitely something to keep an eye on – I think if Rennes do secure European football for next season then I think it would make the most sense for him to stay. If they miss out, there’ll be no shortage of potential takers for Doue.

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Luis Enrique’s baffling choices see PSG suffer disappointing defeat to Barcelona

It was a thrilling game between PSG and Barcelona last night, but of course not the result Luis Enrique’s side will have wanted as the visitors edged an open game 3-2. It was perhaps not quite the result many would have expected, and it was probably also not the kind of game many will have had down as such an open one that would end as a five-goal thriller.

It was almost multiple matches within one game, which was really intriguing. PSG started really well, buoyed by a great atmosphere at the Parc des Princes, but then Barca really took control in the first half, while PSG then flipped the game on its head early in the second half, with two goals in 134 seconds, which completely shifted the momentum of the game.

Barcelona then hit back again with a comeback of their own, and there were some sliding doors moments in there as well, particularly when Ousmane Dembele hit the post. But in general it left a lot of questions for PSG. It was not the best performance from the team, and particularly from Gianluigi Donnarumma – that’s not going to help him as he attempts to respond to the criticism he’s had, even though he’s mostly been in quite good form in the last couple of months.

But probably the one facing the most questions ahead of next week’s second leg will be Luis Enrique, because apart from the fact that Achraf Hakimi was out and had to be replaced by Marquinhos, who actually played quite solidly at right-back – it’s decisions elsewhere that will have raised eyebrows. Playing Lucas Hernandez on the right-hand side of central defence really didn’t work out at all, but to be fair to him that’s partly because Lucas Beraldo was in real difficulty for much of the match. Still, for Hernandez to then also be playing in a position he’s not really familiar with or been used in that often didn’t help PSG.

Enrique then made some in-game decisions to try and change these strange choices he made in his starting XI, with Marquinhos playing central in the second half, while Hernandez got moved to right-back, which is a bit baffling as he normally plays left-back. This completely destabilised the defence, so it’s not too surprising that the stand-out performer in PSG’s defence was Nuno Mendes, who made a very good block on the line from a Robert Lewandowski header.

The biggest surprise, however, was going without Warren Zaire-Emery from the start – obviously Enrique did bring him on in the second half, but it looks like a mistake not to start him. Ousmane Dembele also played out wide despite being used to quite good effect through the middle this season, while one of the most bizarre decisions of all was probably using Marco Asensio as a sort of wild card false-nine. He was then hooked at half time because it was not the most convincing performance from him, and I think all of that contributed towards Kylian Mbappe not really being able to get into the game, and it was one of the weakest performances of his season so far.

There were some bright spots, with Vitinha scoring and looking very good, but the result leaves PSG with a lot to do as they head to the Nou Camp for the second leg. Overall PSG probably aren’t out of this tie yet, and credit to Barcelona for a very good performance, but there are certainly questions there that need answering by Luis Enrique.

Vinicius Junior to PSG could be a realistic transfer for the future

There have been some reports linking Vinicius Junior with PSG and I’ve always said since the beginning that I could see there being a logical way for Real Madrid and PSG to potentially do business for Mbappe (while he was under contract) by essentially swapping Vinicius and Mbappe to take money out of the equation.

I don’t think that’s Real Madrid’s intention for the moment, however, I think Los Blancos want to combine the two players. It could be at some point, though, because of the position they both play on the pitch, that some kind of clash becomes inevitable. There won’t necessarily be tension, but there might be a conflict of interests between the two as they’ll both want the same spot in the starting XI.

A lot will depend on who the coach is – we know it will be Carlo Ancelotti when Mbappe joins this summer, but maybe in the longer term there’ll be a coaching change and that could see a system put into place that could accommodate both players.

If Vinicius were to become available at any point, I think PSG would be very interested, but I don’t think they’d want him in a scenario where they’d have to pay for Vinicius, having lost Mbappe on a free transfer. I think PSG would prefer an exchange, but obviously at this moment in time that doesn’t look likely with Mbappe’s contract expiring, and it doesn’t seem like Vini Jr’s star is on the wane at Real Madrid, certainly not enough for him to be used in an exchange deal.

At the same time, there might be a moment when Vinicius might consider a move – we know his agent has spoken about the Premier League in the past – so he could perhaps be open to becoming a star name in PSG, a club that has historically had great success with Brazilian players.

I don’t think it’s an unrealistic prospect at some point in the future, but for the moment nothing is happening – it doesn’t seem like the scenario is going to open itself up. That could change, but I don’t think this one is on the cards at all imminently.

How William Saliba can work his way into the France starting XI

It’s been a difficult time for William Saliba with an unconvincing mid-week performance for Arsenal against Bayern, which follows an interesting recent incident with him while he was on France duty, with Didier Deschamps suggesting he has some issues with his game and doesn’t currently view him as a starter in his side.

Part of what I think Deschamps is getting at with Saliba is that there are some moments where his judgement isn’t the best, and his decisions seem a bit rushed, leading to the wrong choice at the end. It reminds me of Aymeric Laporte, who was so often overlooked by France, eventually leading to him choosing to represent Spain instead, much to the bemusement of many fans and pundits alike.

These decisions are not entirely technical, some of it is to do with players’ personalities. What some people lose sight of and perhaps take for granted is the amount of work Deschamps has had to do to turn France into a really united and strong team. In order to do that sometimes he has to sacrifice talented players who aren’t necessarily a good fit for the group.

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That’s not to say Saliba isn’t a good fit for the group, but it could be that where Deschamps wants him to improve is more with what he does away from the pitch, rather than on it. I think Saliba can force his way into Deschamps’ plans because some of the players ahead of him, like Dayot Upamecano for example, are not that convincing when they’re given the chance. Then Ibrahima Konate at Liverpool isn’t always guaranteed to be fit, so there are some gaps there.

I just think Saliba needs to show the same kind of maturity and professionalism off the pitch as he has done off it since returning to Arsenal after a couple of loan spells.

Manu Kone transfer looks more likely this summer, and his asking price could go down

Manu Kone is a name coming up again after we saw him linked with Liverpool last summer, and now with Arsenal as they look for a midfielder ahead of the next transfer window. He’s a name that pops up quite often for top European clubs, so it’s not surprising to see him making headlines again.

In terms of links with Arsenal specifically, I think it’s early days yet but they’re certainly one of a number of clubs keeping an eye on him. I know there are other clubs in the Premier League who are interested, and some clubs in Ligue 1 who’d be keen to bring him back to France as well.

Kone is a player of interest and is probably someone who will be on the move this summer. It’s something that’s been discussed now for quite a while as he seems to have outgrown Borussia Monchengladbach, while the club too probably need something of a more far-reaching transitional period than the one that we’ve already seen. So I don’t think it’s impossible that they’ll look to cash in on Kone and rebuild so they can become more than just a mid-table team as they are at the moment, and look to get back more towards the European places.

It’s not the first time Kone has been on the radar of several top clubs, but I’d say it’s more likely he’ll move this summer than in previous years. It also seems likely that the under-performance of Gladbach this year probably also means Kone’s asking price won’t be quite as daunting as it has been in the past to the teams who’ve looked at him before. He could now be seen more as representing good value for money.

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