Paris Saint-Germain had perhaps the most memorable transfer window in history last summer as they signed several stars, including Achraf Hakimi, Gigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Gigi Wijnaldum, and of course, the great Lionel Messi.
But while the Parisiens reclaimed their Ligue 1 title at a canter, they once again fell short of their ultimate goal, which is the Champions League.
This season, new football adviser Luis Campos is set to oversee the French champions’ transfer business. What should Campos prioritise in the transfer window to get PSG to the top of both French and European football?
Read on below as SBOTOP lists down PSG’s most pressing needs that they must address in the 2022 summer transfer window.
Centre-back
PSG still have a strong starting centre-back partnership in Presnel Kimpembe and skipper Marquinhos. But their depth behind those two is not all that impressive.
Sergio Ramos was brought in last season to provide experience and leadership, but the 36-year-old missed most of the campaign with injury and is no longer a reliable bet to remain fit throughout the year.
Thilo Kehrer and Abdou Diallo are both fairly young, athletic, and versatile defenders, but they are not the greatest options, especially in the big European games. Meanwhile, Danilo is clearly a better fit as a defensive midfielder than as a centre-back, which is where Mauricio Pochettino played him most of the time.
PSG have been hot in pursuit of Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar, and the 27-year-old would be a terrific addition to their backline. The Slovakian plays with a toughness and determination that PSG have not had in some time.
It will likely take a large sum for Inter to part ways with Skriniar, who has been one of the most consistent defenders in Serie A over the last few years. But if PSG can get the deal done, they will add a top defender to their already impressive squad.
Central Midfielder
It is surprising that for a club of PSG’s stature, their midfield looks quite underwhelming both on paper and on the pitch.
Marco Verratti is the obvious star of that midfield, but the fiery Italian is hardly the most reliable player when it comes to staying on the pitch, and it’s hard to imagine he will become more durable as he closes in on 30.
Leandro Paredes is a capable midfielder in his prime, but there are not a lot of great options behind him. Wijnaldum looked like a shell of the player who starred at Liverpool at age 31, while fellow Premier League cast-offs Ander Herrera and Idrissa Gueye are both 32 and have already fallen off a fair bit themselves.
While Mauricio Pochettino made his share of missteps as PSG underwhelmed for most of last season, it certainly did not help that he was saddled with an ageing crop of midfielders.
Despite being linked with one another for years, PSG did not land Paul Pogba, who instead moved back to Juventus on a free transfer. That might be for the best as PSG need to get younger legs in midfield to compensate for their forwards, who are not the most eager to track back and defend.
Campos’ big task this summer will be to find the midfielders who can fill that specific role in the side. While PSG’s Ligue 2022 odds of winning the title will be overwhelming even if they don’t upgrade in midfield, that position could make or break PSG’s chances of winning the Champions League.
Younger, hungrier squad players
Campos’ other important task this summer will be to start refreshing this increasingly old-looking PSG squad. Of their 15 players who made 20 or more league appearances last season, only four were 24 years of age or younger (Mbappe, Hakimi, Kehrer, and teenager Nuno Mendes).
It’s already been noted that none of their regular midfielders is below the age of 27, which is a bit concerning and must be addressed.
Meanwhile, their attack is also lacking in youth and pace. Angel Di Maria has already moved on, but the likes of Mauro Icardi, Julian Draxler, Pablo Sarabia are all still in the side and look unlikely to produce too many Ligue 1 2022 highlights even if they do play.
Campos would be wise to clear house this summer. He should move on from most of their ageing veterans and replace them with some new faces with fresher legs and hungrier appetites to give them the spark they need for the new season.
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