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What Manchester United fans can expect from Sir Jim Ratcliffe

We’re seeing Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS move closer to purchasing a 25% stake in Manchester United, but as much as fans of the Red Devils might not want to read this, their ownership of Nice hasn’t been a huge success.

We have to recognise that when INEOS came in they had a very ambitious project to challenge PSG at the top of Ligue 1 and they haven’t done that. They haven’t really made any kind of progress domestically or in Europe, so it’s been a very frustrating period for the club’s fans.

Ratcliffe’s continual flirtation with clubs in England has also been a source of frustration to the Nice fan-base, as it’s not just Manchester United he’s shown an interest in, but also Chelsea and Liverpool in the past. Had it just been Man United, given his childhood support of the club, then I think fans might have been a bit more understanding, but given that there’s clearly been a long-running interest in buying a Premier League club, I think the Nice fans have tired of it.

More recently, Nice have made some encouraging changes – they’re the only team unbeaten in Ligue 1 and they’re going very well under highly-rated new manager Francesco Farioli. They’ve got a couple of real gems in their ranks as well, but overall you can’t paint a picture of Ratcliffe’s reign and make it look like a success. It’s been largely a tale of frustration and wasted potential.

It looks like we could see Paul Mitchell brought in as sporting director at United if the INEOS deal goes through, and it’s no surprise to see him being linked with a big Premier League job after leaving Monaco.

Even if things didn’t go quite as well for him at Monaco as he perhaps would’ve hoped, I do rate Mitchell. He did a very good job of streamlining a very bloated squad, and also did well to strengthen that connection with their Belgian feeder club Cercle Brugge.

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In terms of form and achievement on the pitch, Mitchell probably didn’t quite deliver what was hoped for, with the club being out of the Champions League undoubtedly a failure. They’re doing better this season, so it could be argued that that’s some redemption for Monaco after the foundations laid by Mitchell.

Mitchell’s time at Monaco isn’t everything though, as he has other work he can look back on proudly, particularly with RB Leipzig, and I’m not surprised he seems set to return to the Premier League. He’s been linked with the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle in the past and he remains one of the top names in that line of work.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Mitchell took on an even bigger role than just sporting director, perhaps in a multi-club environment with a role at Nice as well as United. Let’s see how that works out, but overall his appointment is a bit of a no-brainer for United, who have room to improve in terms of their recruitment and the overall structure of the club – I think that’s the kind of challenge he’s been looking for for a while.

Eduardo Camavinga close to well-earned Real Madrid deal

Eduardo Camavinga is close to signing a new contract with Real Madrid in a deal which should be officially announced quite soon. He’s certainly had an interesting development at the club since his move from Rennes in 2021.

He joined at such a young age, but Camavinga hasn’t just been there to make up the numbers – he’s proven himself more than adept when trusted in his preferred midfield position, and he’s also developing as a left-back, which has been really intriguing. He’s been used there for Real Madrid and increasingly for France as well, because that’s an area which, within the French talent pool, there actually isn’t as much quality in the two full-back areas as there is in midfield or indeed any other position on the pitch.

I think Camavinga has developed well in both roles, so I think it clearly points to a big future in the national team, wherever he ends up playing in the long-term.

Camavinga’s new contract has been in the works for some time, with further details here from Fabrizio Romano, and it’s well deserved. He wasn’t a proven player yet when he joined, but he’s got a couple of titles under his belt and I think has earned himself a new deal to reflect his growing importance to the team.

He looks completely at ease in the environment he’s in, so hopefully once this new deal is signed he can continue to focus on developing, as it seems he’s in the best place for that at this moment in time.

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Mixed week for French clubs in the Champions League

Lens earned a big win as they came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 in a memorable first home game of the season in the Champions League, while Newcastle saw off Paris Saint-Germain in some style thanks to a similarly lively atmosphere at St James’ Park.

So, mixed success for Ligue 1 teams, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the two teams that came out on top were the two teams who’ve been away from the Champions League, and indeed the European stage, for a long, long time. Both sides were playing in front of really electric atmospheres, which I think made a big difference.

Still, in Arsenal’s case it’s also important to note that the match changed for them with the injury to Bukayo Saka. I do think that could have an impact on Arsenal’s season, depending on how long he’s out for. With Newcastle, it was a fantastic performance and a fully deserved win, but equally if a couple of other chances had gone PSG’s way earlier in the game, it could’ve been a different story. On that first goal for Newcastle, you’d also expect much better from a player like Marquinhos in the PSG defence.

Overall, not the best nights for Arsenal or PSG, but with the important caveat that these were very special occasions for the home team on the night, and that can make for an intimidating atmosphere that also allowed Newcastle and Lens to play above and beyond themselves.

The stand-out performer for Lens on the night was matchwinner Elye Wahi – a player who was on the radar of a number of top clubs over the summer, most notably Chelsea, but I was also impressed by the response of Adrien Thomasson, who made a mistake for the opening goal by Gabriel Jesus but who then scored the equaliser.

I was impressed by Lens’ resolve, and the fact that they didn’t try to do anything too different, whereas in PSG’s case you have to question why Luis Enrique decided to only go for two central midfielders and four attackers when any minimal amount of match preparation would have shown that that was a suicidal approach. Lens, by contrast, didn’t change their approach for Arsenal and played in the way that’s got them to where they are – their strong understanding and intimacy within their set-up I think was key to getting themselves back into the game.

Wahi is the big name in this Lens side, but I thought there were a number of impressive performers really, particularly Nampalys Mendy, who has settled in really well despite only being at the club for around six weeks. Kevin Danso was also really solid in defence and Brice Samba, the captain, made some important saves. You couldn’t really argue that they didn’t deserve this win.

Hugo Ekitike heading for PSG exit

I can confirm that Hugo Ekitike is no longer wanted at PSG following transfer rumours about his situation and a possible move to the Premier League. The interest from Crystal Palace, which was also there towards the end of the summer transfer window, has been very problematic for PSG because he and his agent didn’t inform PSG that they were trying to negotiate a loan move to Crystal Palace. This was around the time PSG were negotiating a move for Randal Kolo Muani and Ekitike was of interest to Eintracht Frankfurt at that point.

Ekitike has now been dropped from the squad, he’s not on PSG’s list for the Champions League, so his future at the Parc des Princes looks very bleak. There have been links with Everton as well, but I think interest from Newcastle is in the past now. Still, I certainly expect Ekitike to be on the move this winter because there’s no future for him in Paris.

It’s going to be very difficult for PSG to get the kind of money back that they paid for him. PSG already knew they were over-paying for the player because the fee was agreed before his initial loan move, during which he lost massive value. They tried to get out of this deal but they were obliged to complete it.

Realistically, PSG would now be lucky to get a paid loan with a view to a permanent transfer for around €20m, if everything were to go well, but I think it’s clear they’re going to have to accept a significant hit on this transfer, unless he can go out on loan and really impress and build up some value.

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Moussa Dembele’s stinging attack on Lyon

Moussa Dembele laid into his former club Lyon in an interview with Foot Mercato, saying: “I left like Malo [Gusto], Castello [Lukeba] and Bradley [Barcola] did, and they did well to leave in order to improve, enjoy better momentum for their development and earn more money. Lucas Paqueta and Bruno Guimaraes were also right to leave. Look at the fun they’re having! Bruno Cheyrou said the players were assets, what a lack of respect. Where did he think he was? A slave ship? In a cotton field? I’m not an asset, I’m a human being! If we’re assets, what are the fans? Consumers? This is such a dangerous and disrespectful take.”

There has undoubtedly been an institutional crisis going on at Lyon for a few years now, there have been serious question marks about how complacent the club has been, going back to the end of Jean-Michel Aulas’ reign.

Dembele was one of a number of players who, being totally honest, under-performed a bit, but, equally, there was a malaise that was allowed to set in around the club. Houssem Aouar is a good example of this – a hugely talented player who rose up through Lyon’s academy but whose form really dropped off a cliff once a move to Juventus was blocked.

I think a number of players will be feeling similarly, but now that Dembele’s moved on, he’s able to speak out about it. It’s certainly something that’s been brewing for a few years, and even this week there have been reports that one of John Textor’s investors already wants out of the project just a few months into his ownership. It’s a really unhappy place right now, so Dembele’s comments don’t really come as much of a surprise at all.

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Kolo Muani looks an exciting potential signing for PSG

Despite already signing Goncalo Ramos at central striker this summer, we’re now seeing progress being made on PSG bringing in Randal Kolo Muani as well. As has been widely reported, negotiations are now expected to advance, with the player keen on the move.

The France international is a name that the Ligue 1 giants have been eyeing for some time. Kolo Muani enjoyed a breakout season in the Bundesliga and also caught the eye at the World Cup in Qatar so it was no surprise to see the likes of Bayern Munich linked with him fairly swiftly. However, PSG worked their way up to the top of the list of admirers and could now land him before this window closes.

Things have stepped up this week with Neymar, Leandro Paredes, Abdou Diallo and Renato Sanches all freeing up further space on the wage bill to enable Luis Campos greater room for manoeuvre in what has already been a busy summer.

The beauty of Kolo Muani is that he can score and provide goals as well as working hard from the front which makes him compatible with the likes of Ramos, Mbappe and Dembele.

Obviously, a quality all-French frontline was part of the vision sold to Mbappe one year ago as he renewed so it is linked, in part, to him. However, Mbappe’s contract is yet to be extended and Kolo Muani as a fellow Bondy boy could further aid Parisien hopes for this outcome. Mbappe aside, though, Kolo Muani would be a quality addition.

PSG have the edge over Chelsea for Barcola

Bradley Barcola’s situation continues to attract speculation, but, to be honest, I do not think Chelsea stand much of a chance as long as PSG are in the race for him. The Lyon man has been clear that a Paris move interests him and he is the last remaining major target for Campos this window along with Kolo Muani. To land both would be a game changer and Hugo Ekitike potentially moving on with both Frankfurt and West Ham keen hints at how PSG entire attacking stable would be reset by both players joining this month.

Chelsea is not unattractive to Barcola, especially with former teammate Malo Gusto already there, but the pathway to a clear and defined role at Parc des Princes has already been laid out to him and Ligue 1 keeps him developing without too big a jump in demands.

Should PSG’s interest fail to concretise, then a London switch might be considered but it is not currently the priority. Also, a potential loan move to Strasbourg is unlikely to appeal given Lyon’s situation is fairly similar while PSG can also offer continental competition now.

Thoughts on those Jules Kounde to Arsenal rumours

There was speculation surrounding Jules Kounde’s future at Barcelona earlier this summer, and with Jurrien Timber’s injury at Arsenal, links have resurfaced about Mikel Arteta possibly trying to bring the Frenchman to the Emirates Stadium.

However, I would be surprised if the Gunners rush back into the market despite this setback. The defence seems fairly well stacked and although Kounde is a quality and versatile player, he has a price tag to match and Arsenal have already spent a fair bit this summer.

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It’s also important to take into consideration that Barca’s need to raise funds is not quite as pressing as it was when the rumours originally surfaced. If Arteta was to move for someone, I think that might have come had Gabriel moved on. Defensive depth is pretty impressive for the Gunners right now and adding Kounde to that brings long-term complications despite short-term solutions.

Obviously, the situation is not ideal once Europe comes into play, but Arteta does have other players he can call upon without launching a tricky offensive for the final week of this summer’s window.

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Neymar finds himself in a really interesting situation in Paris

I think it’s quite telling that Xavi publicly, although he wanted to speak highly of his friend, didn’t want to play out the possibility of him coming back to Barcelona. Luis Enrique, who arguably oversaw his most impressive spell in Europe, is also not entirely convinced that he has a future in his PSG plans. It’s an interesting time right now because both the club and the player are keen to move on from his spell in Paris.

Another problem is the lengthy contract that the Brazilian superstar has with PSG and the fact that he is being paid massive money. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens over the next couple of weeks as the Kylian Mbappe factor will need to be considered too before anything with Neymar is finalised. The feeling is one of the two will go – if it is at all possible for PSG to move them on.

Kylian Mbappe’s current situation won’t change until the transfer window shuts

There’s frustration surrounding the Kylian Mbappe saga, but there’s frustration on both sides of that situation. Kylian just wants to be out there playing football, getting ready for the new season and getting ready for what in his mind has been building up to be his final season with PSG. The PSG hierarchy are still unwilling to compromise with the fact that he will not sign an extension with the club and until something changes between the two, it’s very difficult to imagine a positive conclusion.

Real Madrid have yet to put an offer on the table because nothing has changed. As I said in last week’s column, PSG have a suspicion that Mbappe has an agreement with Madrid over a signing-on fee for next summer, which is believed to be in the region of €160million. It’s very difficult for PSG to get him to at least consider coming to the table and having a proper talk about his future when he feels so close to potentially being able to make that move to Spain happen in 12 months.

For now, that deadlock may be broken if Real Madrid were to come to the table with a fairly respectable offer that PSG might consider; but for the moment, Mbappe is training with the group they call ‘the loft’ and that probably won’t change until the end of the transfer window.

Because legally, PSG are allowed to do that, they are allowed to marginalize those players who could potentially move on while the window is open; but if the transfer window closes and Mbappe remains a PSG player, he will have to be reinstated and reintegrated into the squad, and there may be legal ramifications of substantial stature for PSG to face.

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Jean-Clair Todibo would be ready for Man United move

It wouldn’t surprise me to see him move on between now and the end of the transfer window as I think Nice would do very well to hold on to both Todibo and Thuram. While Nice remain out of European competition, it is going to be difficult for him to build on the call-up he had to the French senior squad not that long ago. So, I do think there is the potential that Todibo makes that kind of Man United move in the near future and if the Manchester club do get him, I think there are some similarities with Raphael Varane in many ways.

He’s bounced around a bit more than the Man United star though since he left France very early on in his career and I think he is in need of a more permanent home, which he has been deprived of. Wherever he goes next, he’ll definitely need that exposure to continental football to continue developing.

Jonathan David would be a logical move for Tottenham

It would be a logical move for Tottenham to move for Jonathan David if they end up cashing in on Harry Kane. However, David has been linked with a move away from Lille for quite a long time now and it never seems to materialise.

He’s one of the few players that Lille would really be able to cash in on to help their financial issues, which makes a transfer possible. The forward is also a player who seems to always find form just before the transfer window opens but then dips during the season. Therefore, it’s quite hard for clubs to be absolutely sure that they want to make the move because you sometimes get these inconsistent periods of form, which I think makes some clubs, certainly some of the bigger clubs around Europe, reluctant to step in and make a bid.

There’s only so much David can aspire to do at Lille, having already won the Ligue 1 title with them so a move would be best this summer and I think, like Todibo, he needs regular game time now on the continental stage.

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Mbappe saga leaves PSG working with one hand tied behind their back, but they won’t banish him from the first-team

Undoubtedly the story of the week is Kylian Mbappe, with the big development being that Al Hilal have their delegation in Paris sorting out the deal for Malcom to join from Zenit Saint Petersburg. Obviously this has led to various reports about Mbappe’s situation and although it’s been claimed that Mbappe has flat-out rejected Al Hilal, it’s not the case that he’s communicated that to them, it’s that he’s refusing to enter into talks over the possibility.

PSG’s acceptance of Al Hilal’s bid is conditional on Mbappe accepting the move to Saudi Arabia, and the fact that he’s not in those talks at the moment just further fuels PSG’s suspicion that he has a long-standing agreement with Real Madrid. It’s possible that that’s been in place since even just weeks after his most recent contract extension last year. Mbappe also still seems absolutely set on seeing out his PSG contract, so that points towards a decision being made to join Real Madrid as a free agent.

For now, the situation with Mbappe hasn’t actually changed that much. He’s still no closer to any resolution over his PSG future and there’s no indication that Real Madrid will come to the table in the next couple of weeks. There’s just this growing feeling in PSG’s ranks that Mbappe has basically already agreed lucrative terms with Real Madrid and that’s why he’s absolutely set on joining them in 2024. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see if that’s still compatible with him spending a year at Al Hilal. Still, at this moment in time Mbappe has been reluctant to even consider starting talks with Al Hilal – the offer is there but he hasn’t responded whatsoever.

There’s been talk that PSG have threatened to keep Mbappe on the bench all season if he stays, but I find it hard to believe they’d actually be able to do that. A lot would have to happen between now and the end of the summer for PSG and Mbappe to have to continue together next season, but there have been previous sagas like this with Adrien Rabiot and Hatem Ben Arfa. Basically, PSG can keep Mbappe separate from the rest of the squad while the transfer window’s open, but once it’s closed they’ll have a very hard time marginalising him.

I think there would have to be some sort of reintegration process – that doesn’t necessarily mean that Luis Enrique would have to use him as a player on the pitch and make him a focal point of the team, but PSG wouldn’t be able to just banish him to the Reserves for the entirety of the season because of the legalities that would be involved in a situation like that. There’s the French Players’ Union, who could remind PSG that they can’t continue to marginalise him in that way once the transfer window is closed, so the idea of PSG punishing Mbappe in that way doesn’t really chime with what the reality might be. I think if Mbappe were to find himself still at PSG in September there would probably have to be some kind of manoeuvre from both the player’s camp and the club to find a way forward together. Even without the European Championships coming up next summer, a whole season without playing would not work in Mbappe’s favour – it’s very difficult to imagine that either party would allow the situation to get to that point, especially as there would be major legal complications for PSG.

Who could replace Mbappe at PSG?

If PSG were to bank €300m from selling Mbappe, I’m not sure it would actually change their transfer plans significantly – the players they’ve looked at already have pretty big price tags. They have looked the situations regarding players like Victor Osimhen and Harry Kane, so those are players already on PSG’s radar, it’s just that there’s the feeling they might not be the best fit.

I don’t expect PSG’s plans to really change based on the huge windfall from the sale of Mbappe – what they really have to plan for is how that front line would be structured. PSG’s star power has already taken a bit of a hit with Lionel Messi leaving, so it would be another massive hit if Mbappe goes as well. It would surely mean Neymar staying put and becoming the face of the project, unless they were able to land another big name.

PSG have been interested in Bernardo Silva for the whole transfer window, and it looks like situation at Manchester City, having already lost a few big names, might complicate that pursuit, but if they suddenly found themselves with the kind of money that could allow them to enter into meaningful talks over that calibre of player, I think that’s something they’d definitely do.

It’s certainly the case that all the uncertainty with Mbappe is tying one hand behind their back to an extent in terms of planning for next season. Luis Enrique is currently trying to get to grips with this PSG squad in Japan but there’s no real source of goals for him at the moment without Mbappe, with Neymar still working his way back to fitness after surgery, so PSG would clearly need a reliable goal-scorer should they lose Mbappe and receive all that money from Al Hilal. Equally, PSG are already looking at those kind of players anyway, to pair with Mbappe, so it doesn’t change much in the immediate sense in terms of what PSG are trying to do on the market, but it does make things a bit easier in terms of Financial Fair Play and other considerations – they could suddenly plough ahead with some big-name targets without having to worry about offloading others.

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In terms of attacking targets, PSG continue to be strongly linked with Rasmus Hojlund. He’s a fantastic talent, but I actually think he’s a better fit for what Manchester United are trying to do at this moment in time. The pressure on Hojlund would be massive if he was coming to PSG to replace Mbappe – he doesn’t have the same prolific record as some of the names mentioned above, such as Osimhen or Kane, or even Goncalo Ramos, who’s also been linked.

Still, the interest is genuine and L’Equipe now claim PSG have submitted an official bid. It’s hard to predict for sure, but my feeling is that Man United will end up beating PSG to his signature – he’d get the chance to play more at Old Trafford and become more of a key player straight away than he would at PSG, where he’d more likely be coming in with a view towards building around him in the future.

And while Hojlund has great potential, it’s clear his asking price is pretty steep for someone of his track record. For a bit more money PSG could probably get a more established player with a more prolific record. I don’t really see PSG coming up with something that would be enough to see them beat United to Hojlund.

Potential PSG exits for Marco Verratti and Renato Sanches

In terms of outgoings at PSG, Renato Sanches now looks set to join Roma. Things haven’t really worked out as hoped with the Portuguese midfielder and I think it’s highly likely PSG would consider an exit.

Of course, he’s only been there for a year, so this might surprise some people, but it’s worth pointing out that PSG were a bit limited with what they could do in the transfer market last summer after committing as much as they did to that mega contract renewal for Mbappe, so they had to look at budget-friendly options, and Renato was one of those.

Unfortunately, when you’re looking for bargains there are risks associated with that. With Sanches, one of the risks was, unfortunately, his injury record, which has come back to haunt him again. And when he has been on the pitch he hasn’t really added that much, but that’s not a criticism of Sanches alone because a lot of players in that area have failed to live up to expectations. Another one was Carlos Soler, who plays a similar position to Sanches, and most of the midfielders such as Fabian Ruiz, who promised a lot but then disappointed, and the same with Vitinha – a lot of those Luis Campos gambles in midfield didn’t really work out.

I think Roma are now hoping to get a similar bargain with Sanches to the one they got with Georginio Wijnaldum last summer before his injury. It’s also worth pointing out that Sanches has a bit of a historical following in Serie A – AC Milan were very keen on him for quite a while, so it doesn’t surprise me to see him potentially being on the move to Italy, it seems like quite a logical destination for him.

Al Hilal and PSG could also agree a deal for Marco Verratti, which might’ve taken some people by surprise but is not actually a huge surprise if you look at what’s happened with him over the last few years. He’s had a great career at the club but those top performances have become fewer and further between and Mbappe himself actually questioned Verratti quite publicly a few months ago, when he spoke about players having to eat and sleep right – people assumed those comments were aimed at Neymar, but it was actually Verratti.

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Why Dusan Vlahovic makes sense for PSG

PSG continue to be linked with a number of big-name strikers, but there’s a lot to consider in all this. Firstly, the future of Kylian Mbappe will be key and at this moment in time it still seems unlikely that Real Madrid and PSG will be able to agree a deal for Mbappe this summer, but we’ll see what the next two weeks or so hold.

Two names reported to be on PSG’s radar are Victor Osimhen and Harry Kane, but those two would represent a significant financial outlay, so it’s only realistic to consider those two if we do end up seeing a big sale of someone like Mbappe or Neymar. At this moment in time, neither of those are close to leaving, so that really only leaves Dusan Vlahovic as an affordable option.

We know Juventus are willing to move Vlahovic on, as it hasn’t really worked out for him since he joined from Fiorentina. He’s a profile that interests a number of clubs across Europe, and he’d offer something a bit different to PSG’s other attacking talents at this moment in time. It’s possible he could be gettable even without PSG needing to make a big sale, but there are on or two players on the club’s unwanted list who it could be useful to move on, so we’ll see how that all develops between now and the end of the transfer window, but it’s definitely something on Luis Campos’ list.

It’s been a couple of years since PSG really had that kind of a focal point to their attack, and it’s arguable that someone like Vlahovic would be more complementary to someone like Mbappe, should he stay, than Lionel Messi was. There could still be room to boost the team’s creativity too, though, and Bernardo Silva has been very high on PSG’s list of priorities for this transfer window.

Still, after a flurry of recent signings like Marco Asensio, Manuel Ugarte and Lucas Hernandez, PSG’s focus now is on working out who Luis Enrique really sees being part of his plans moving forward with the existing squad, and working out which positions could still be strengthened based on how he sees his vision with PSG in this coming season.

One player already close to leaving PSG is Mauro Icardi as he looks set to make his loan move to Galatasaray permanent. It’s no secret that he’s had a lot going on in his private life in recent years and I think that meant there hasn’t been more serious interest from Premier League clubs.

It’s a strange one, though, because when he arrived initially he was on loan from Inter Milan and he hit the ground running, showing all his best attributes and giving PSG a real predatory striker who was ready to fill the void left by Edinson Cavani. For a while, it looked like PSG had pulled off a masterstroke there, given Icardi’s prolific form, but then it suddenly dropped off massively. Despite that, PSG still negotiated the purchase option, getting him for a bit lower than the initially agreed fee with Inter, and since that move was made permanent it’s been one disaster after another, mostly involving his former partner and agent Wanda Nara.

This left him in the situation where nobody really wanted him at PSG and very few clubs were willing to take a gamble on him either. When Galatasaray came along they gave him a chance to start fresh and he’s really thrived in that environment, his numbers there have been quite impressive. A permanent move is now on the verge of going through and to be honest it looks like a decent return for PSG given that it looked at one point like they could totally lose out on their investment in Icardi.

Despite what may have been reported elsewhere, there was never really any serious competition for Icardi when PSG made his loan move permanent, or at any point after his form really started to decline, so this move could actually end up looking like surprisingly good business for all parties.

Warren Zaire-Emery exit would be a huge surprise

There have been reports linking Warren Zaire-Emery with Borussia Dortmund, but I’d be very surprised if PSG were to consider letting him go at this moment in time. It’s no surprise to see his name mentioned alongside Borussia Dortmund due to their success with young talents like Jude Bellingham, but I’d be stunned if PSG were to let him go, because they are well aware that they have a generational talent in their clutches.

Zaire-Emery got good minutes last season, considering he only turned 17 in March, though I’m sure he’d rather get one position consistently. Overall it’s still been a positive period for him and I’m sure he’ll be part of the group that Luis Enrique wants to get a close look at in pre-season so he can work out his best role.

If there was to be any chance of Zaire-Emery moving on this summer, I think it would be more of a developmental loan as opposed to a permanent move, and perhaps to a club in France. He’s shown flashes of brilliance in the opportunities he’s been given for PSG, so now it’s just about getting a consistent run and I think there’d be plenty of clubs in Ligue 1 or Ligue 2 who’d be interested. The French leagues are generally well regarded as a good place for young talent to develop, so it could then get him up to speed and ready to compete at the top level in a relatively short space of time.

As I said, I’m sure Enrique will want to get a close look at him, and it could then be that if the new manager doesn’t quite feel he’s ready to get regular minutes for the senior team then he’ll be sent out on a strategic loan move like that. I can’t see them cashing in on him – I think the days of PSG accepting offers for their young talents, considering how often they’ve been hurt by those young talents, are gone. They want to move away from selling those talents and try to get the best out of them themselves. If they can’t do that this season with Zaire-Emery then I’m sure they’ll look at loaning him to another club in France, perhaps a club challenging for promotion in Ligue 2 or one of the teams who’ve got more of a restrictive budget in Ligue 1.

Elye Wahi to Chelsea deal could start with Strasbourg loan

Elye Wahi is making headlines as Chelsea have supposedly been in talks over signing him, but I don’t think he’s quite ready to make that step up straight to a club like Chelsea. It could also be that Chelsea sign him and then loan him to Strasbourg, that sort of arrangement wouldn’t surprise me as it looked like it might happen with David Datro Fofana, though he’s now gone to Union Berlin instead.

Wahi is an interesting talent who’s just had a prolific spell with Montpellier, scoring 19 goals in 33 Ligue 1 games last season. He’s still only 20 but he’s now firmly on the radar of some of Europe’s top clubs. There are, however, some questions about his character and I think those clubs want to see if he can maintain this form consistently. Equally, Montpellier are one of those clubs who have to sell to survive, and there’s no guarantee that his stock will get any higher than this – if he were to start next season more slowly then clubs might be able to swoop in and get him for a fraction of what he might go for if he moves this summer.

Still, I don’t think he’s ready to be a starter at a top Premier League club like Chelsea. The competition will be very fierce and they’ll want to get themselves back into European contention. The interest is there and I think we’ve also seen links with others like Tottenham, but I’m sure any move would be done with a view to loaning him out for one or two seasons and then see where he’s at.

Make no mistake, though, he’s a big prospect and one I think a lot of clubs will be looking at in the next few weeks.

£50m price tag could prevent Folarin Balogun’s France return

Folarin Balogun’s future is still not resolved, but based on what I saw from him in Ligue 1 last season in his loan spell with Reims, Arsenal’s reported £50m asking price is a lot. He’s essentially only had one really good prolific season – don’t get me wrong, he’s a very exciting talent and I think there will be more to come from him at club level and also with the US Men’s National Team, but to be talking about £50m now seems very steep and will almost certainly prohibit a return to Ligue 1.

I’d like to see Balogun back in France and the interest is there from Marseille and Monaco, but I think the most realistic way for another spell in Ligue 1 to happen is by tapping into that pathway between Marseille and Arsenal, which we’ve seen players like William Saliba, Nuno Tavares and Matteo Guendouzi use. With Marseille and how they line up in attack, a lot of it will probably have to do with what happens with Alexis Sanchez. For Monaco, I think it’s probably going to be very difficult for them to be in a position for Balogun without European football.

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Leipzig had been touted as another option, but they’re now very close to getting Lois Openda from Lens for a similar price, so I don’t see them being in for another striker as well. Openda’s profile is quite unique and looks a perfect fit for Leipzig, so I think it would take quite a drastic turn of events for that to fall through and for them to go for Balogun instead, especially at that price tag.

One club who might be worth keeping an eye on would be Lille – if they’re able to cash in on Jonathan David this summer, which would probably be for a similar price tag, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they were to look into Balogun’s situation. I think that could be a good fit for him as well because it would give him that European platform that he’s in need of at this moment in his career. There’s also been links with Lille and Gift Orban who’s been performing well in Belgium, but Balogun could be another logical fit for a club looking to go on a run in the Europa Conference League next season and challenge for a European place in Ligue 1.

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What PSG’s talks with Mikel Arteta could mean for the future

As fellow columnist Ben Jacobs recently reported, Mikel Arteta was recently approached by PSG’s Luis Campos, but it was probably a bit unrealistic of PSG to think that he was going to leave Arsenal given the stage that his Gunners project is at.

Still, I think one thing people forget about Arteta, who is more associated for his time in the Premier League with Everton and Arsenal, is that early on in his career he had a very successful loan spell with PSG before he joined Rangers. So there is a little bit of history there as an ex-player, similarly to Mauricio Pochettino.

PSG are now closing in on Luis Enrique, but it’s come after a difficult search for a new manager. It’s been difficult for them to find the right blend of experience, someone who puts a lot of emphasis on youth, and who would also be a good cultural fit at the club. Arteta is one of the few who ticks most of those boxes, but of course Enrique comes with more experience, having been a Champions League winner, having coached young players in the Spanish national team at major tournaments, and having also worked in the past with some difficult characters like Neymar.

So it’s no surprise really that they went for Enrique, but I think this approach for Arteta, while never a particularly realistic move now, does perhaps lay the ground for PSG to move for him in the future, because when you’ve played for PSG and end up being a high-profile manager, that counts for a lot in the club’s eyes.

Arteta’s connections with the club would give him more legitimacy as a candidate, as was the case with Pochettino, so I think he’s one they probably knew was unrealistic now but is also certainly one they’ll look at again in a few years’ time, depending on where Arteta is at that time – he might still be with Arsenal or he could also be with the Spanish national team or looking for another high-profile post.

Xavi Simons could be open to a return to PSG

My understanding, contrary to some reports, is that Xavi Simons has not yet entirely ruled out a move back to PSG. He’s waiting for PSG to outline what would be waiting for him if he were to come back.

Simons moved from PSG to PSV last summer and his reasons for leaving are quite well documented – he didn’t get the minutes he felt he deserved or that the club promised him. They had said that they were looking to develop more talent from the academy and use them in the first-team, and though he did get a few minutes here and there, it was nowhere near the level of some of the club’s other youngsters like Warren Zaire-Emery in the season just gone, for example.

PSG do have a buy-back clause for Simons, which is very low – just €6m, which is an absolute bargain when you consider how quickly he has developed at PSV in the last year or so. It’s no surprise to now see interest from Arsenal and other clubs in him, but it’s all a bit premature at the moment because his clause doesn’t become active until July and PSG also need to get Luis Enrique in place, while the club also have a few other signings lined up. So while this move can’t be ruled out, I wouldn’t expect this to become more formalised until maybe mid-July.

The other possibility as well is that, given what Simons is worth on the market now, there is some scope for PSG actioning his return, seeing if they can make it work, and if it doesn’t, then maybe move him on again in the next twelve months or so at a considerable profit on the €6m fee. The future could hold quite a lot of different scenarios at this moment in time, but to me it seems like a no-brainer for PSG to try to bring him back and make it work as part of a revamped, new-look line up under Enrique. What Simons has achieved in such a short space of time in the Netherlands is very impressive and it’s exactly the kind of development PSG should have been able to afford to him during his time in Paris.

It seems clear to me that Simons has a profile that would be very useful for this PSG team. It all depends exactly on Enrique plans to do, but also on whether Kylian Mbappe is still there or not, but the one thing that seems inevitable is that one of those three star names from last season – Mbappe, Messi and Neymar – will still be there, so with Messi already gone I cannot see PSG allowing both Mbappe and Neymar to leave this summer as well. One or both will surely still be in the PSG team next season, so if Enrique is building around them, it might be harder for Simons to make his mark, but I do still think there’s room for someone of his talent and versatility.

It would be a blow if Simons didn’t show faith in this new direction PSG are trying to move towards, but equally it wouldn’t be too surprising either given the promises that he feels were made to him and then broken by the club. When he’s spoken publicly about PSG, he’s always spoken very highly of the club and of his time living in the city, so I think that door is slightly ajar for him. It’s now just up to PSG to really convince him, and that can only be done when Enrique is in place and the new project starts to take place.

PSG reach Lucas Hernandez agreement, but is the move a risky one?

Another interesting move that seems to be on the cards for PSG is Lucas Hernandez. The French full-back is on his way back from a bad injury, and had been considered an indispensable player at Bayern Munich, although that now seems to have changed.

There is an agreement in place, with PSG and Bayern now working to finalise the details of that. That’s something that I’d expect could get done within the next week or so. It’s probably going to be in the region of €35-40m, but the structure of the fee will be important to Bayern as they look to cash in on the player.

One thing to bear in mind – although Hernandez is a France international, he actually comes from Marseille, and so that’s quite risky to a certain extent given the fierce rivalry between Marseille and PSG. But, equally, he’s someone who’s never played domestically in Ligue 1 – he was born in Marseille but moved at a young age and grew up in Spain, so it’ll be intriguing to see how the signing goes down.

Tactically, it looks a good fit for PSG playing a 3-4-3 formation as the norm moving forward, especially when you bear in mind PSG have also got Milan Skriniar coming in, Marquinhos has signed a new contract, and there’s Presnel Kimpembe to come back from injury as well, so a lot of defensive options for Enrique in the season ahead.

Achraf Hakimi could be an option for Manchester City

Achraf Hakimi is a name coming up again, this time being linked with Manchester City. As I said recently, he’s not someone PSG are actively looking to sell, but there could be the potential for a deal to be done at the right price. My understanding is that this position is unchanged, and that they could be willing to cash in on Hakimi if it would help them to land on of their other major targets. They’re not too light of other options for that role with Nordi Mukiele and Warren Zaire-Emery able to fill in there as well.

In terms of how he might fit in at Man City, there’s an obvious role for him in that team if Kyle Walker ends up leaving, but I’m not totally convinced he has the defensive discipline that Pep Guardiola might want from him. He might have to undergo quite a bit of work on that side of his game if he were to join City, but equally it’s not surprising that they like someone of his profile and playing style.

Still, whatever happens with him this summer there’s no doubt he’s stagnated a bit at PSG and so it will be interesting to see if there’s a chance for him to revive his career under Luis Enrique. He’s had a difficult last year or so, both on and off the pitch, with the allegations being made against him still needing to be taken into consideration by any club potentially making a move for him.

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Hakimi needs to be fully focused on his game in order to be at his best, so a fresh start under a new coach at PSG could be a good way for him to still have an important role to play at the Parc des Princes, especially while Kylian Mbappe is still at the club – they have a very good relationship, despite the players’ mothers taking pot shots at each other in the media recently!

I can see the logic in City looking at him, but I could also see a move back to Spain being good for him, perhaps even back to his former club Real Madrid, assuming he does move on from PSG at some point in the future.

How likely is a Liverpool move for Jeremy Doku?

We’re seeing stories again of Jeremy Doku being a target for Liverpool, this time from L’Equipe, who tend to be a very reliable source. From my understanding, Doku is a player who’s been on their radar and on the radar of numerous other top clubs for years and years now.

There have been moments when he’s looked on the verge of tapping into that enormous potential that I think everyone knows he has, and that explosive pace is very eye-catching – that’s what a lot of people like about him, but there’s more to his game than that and I think he’s starting to show that side of himself as well.

My personal opinion, however, is that he’s probably not quite ready to jump straight up to a club like Liverpool at this moment in time. Having said that, where Liverpool are right now after a difficult season of missing out on the top four meaning they’re not going to be in the Champions League next season, and they’re not necessarily seen as one of the main challengers for the Premier League title, it could make it more of an interesting prospect. Jurgen Klopp is likely in something of a rebuilding process now, and so that could open the door to a different profile of signing.

Whether that means a move for Doku, I’m not sure, but it’s easy to see why he might see playing under Klopp as good for his development, so maybe he will become more of a player of interest as the summer goes on. Still, the noise from France right now is that their focus at the moment is on signing Khephren Thuram from Nice, so we’ll see what happens there, but I think Doku could be one that a lot of clubs will look at in the next few weeks, but whether they firm up their interest or just see him as more of a Plan B remains to be seen.

The challenge awaiting Marcelino at Marseille

Marcelino has now been officially named Marseille manager, replacing Igor Tudor. It’s an interesting move and it’s taken some time for Marseille to settle on their first choice to be their next manager, but I think it’s important for them to finally have that clarity.

Overall, however, given some of the names that were linked with the OM job, such as Marcelo Gallardo, it’s maybe ended up being a little underwhelming, though I still think it’ll be good for them to have that clarity now as they move towards next season.

It’s also important for Marseille to have someone like Marcelino, who’s experienced in working in conditions where he’s a bit limited financially. That’s very much the case at Marseille where there will inevitably be issues with funding, and that’s maybe something that a few of the names before him have eventually realised and moved on, such as Andre Villas-Boas, Jorge Sampaoli and Igor Tudor.

A lot of Marcelino’s players speak very highly of him, he’s highly rated in Spain and I think it could end up being quite an underrated appointment. He seems like he’s the kind of character as well who could really relish the kind of passion of the Marseille fans and the atmosphere the home crowd can drum up on a big matchday.

Still, there’s a lot of work ahead to make Marseille a really credible title contender against PSG. There is a lot of competition to get into the Champions League places as well, especially after Lens snuck ahead of them last season.

Marcelino might not be the manager some of their fans were dreaming of, but it’s simply the case that until something changes in terms of the investment going into the club, these are the kinds of managers who are going to come and go as the years go by, because they don’t really have the means at their disposal to make Marseille into a more credible Ligue 1 or Coupe de France contender, or put together a stronger run in the Champions League.

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Sacha Boey attracting interest from Arsenal and other Premier League clubs

Sacha Boey is impressing at Galatasaray and is now understood to be on the radar of clubs like Arsenal, while he’s also increasingly admired by the French national team because they have a bit of an issue with depth in the full-back positions. Boey has really exploded since leaving France and he’s shown he’s a player who could fill that void on the right-hand side for Les Bleus.

My understanding is Boey is interesting a number of clubs in the Premier League and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him make a move like that at some point sooner rather than later. We’ve seen his attacking qualities from full-back, and he puts in a shift defensively too, so it’s easy to see why that kind of profile is appealing to some top sides.

In terms of Arsenal, I’m perhaps not 100% convinced he’s ready for a move like that just yet, but he has been an unexpected success since leaving France for Turkey – the Premier League is obviously a level up from that, though it’s still not an easy environment to thrive in, but he’s done really well there and he’s definitely being looked at by a number of English clubs, not just Arsenal.

Arsenal and Ligue 1 clubs to do more business?

There’s been a lot of interest and a lot of business done between Arsenal and Marseille in recent times, with OM showing a particular interest in Folarin Balogun and his future this summer. It’s difficult for Marseille to make a move for him at this moment in time, however, as they don’t have a new coach in place yet.

Reiss Nelson has attracted interest from Ligue 1 clubs and I wouldn’t be surprised if Marseille were one of those. Lens could be another as they’re quite well known for the smart way they scour the market, so they may have been looking at him before the potential contract extension at Arsenal, which now looks more likely.

Still, Marseille seem to have a particularly good relationship with Arsenal, as we saw with the loan deal for Nuno Tavares last summer, which itself followed the William Saliba loan and the Matteo Guendouzi loan that was turned permanent.

In terms of Tavares’ future, I’m not sure Marseille saw enough from him to want to make that move permanent, but I think that’s a relationship those two clubs will want to continue, so it could have implications for Balogun, or maybe someone else.

Don’t rule out Anthony Martial returning to France this summer

I could see Anthony Martial returning to France this summer and one potential landing spot could be Lyon. Martial came through the youth academy there before moving to Monaco and breaking through at senior level there, and Lyon tend to like trying to repatriate some of their homegrown players.

It would certainly surprise me if Martial stayed at Old Trafford, so I think this could be a good move for Lyon to consider. France seems like a logical place for him to try to revive his career, but whether that’s on loan or a permanent transfer remains to be seen.

Something surely needs to change for Martial after a frustrating few years. He’s just never quite found that consistency or lived up to what’s been expected of him, so if Lyon tried to give him a chance it wouldn’t be a shock to me. Lens might also find him an interesting solution given they’ve qualified for the Champions League and they could lose Lois Openda.

It’s a shame to see Martial struggle the way he has because he’s such a talented player. There have been question-marks about him and over his lifestyle away from the pitch. To be honest, I think the difficult thing for him has been both a positive and a negative in that he started life at United so well and I think that led to unrealistic expectations of him; the bar was set so high from day one, and that meant it was always going to be hard for him to maintain that form, let alone better it.

He looked like a world beater early on at United and I think many players would have struggled with the spotlight being on them like that at such a young age. He was a player who showed a lot of talent, and it might be that he’d do well in an environment that’s not quite as challenging as a big club like United. Having said that, I think he also hasn’t helped himself in some ways. There have been justified question-marks over his personality and his work rate away from the pitch, and it seems now that a string of different managers at Old Trafford have had the same problem with him.

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It would be nice to think he could still salvage something from his career for club and country. I’m aware that Didier Deschamps was somebody who believed in his potential, and once he stopped being called up for the French national team it put him in a bit of a no-mans-land. A fresh start could now be ideal to help him for the next stage of his career, because there’s still a lot he can do with the talent he has.

Evan Ndicka’s future could still be in the Premier League

Evan Ndicka now looks set to complete a move to Roma, having been a high-quality opportunity for a number of clubs on a free transfer. He’s had interest from clubs who don’t quite have the budget to compete with the elite clubs in Europe this summer, so I think for him to join Roma looks like a good opportunity for him, especially with an experienced coach like Jose Mourinho in charge. It’ll be a big boost for them as well as they continue to do some smart work building their squad.

There was the opportunity for Ndicka to sign a new contract and stay at Eintracht Frankfurt, but he ultimately made the decision to push ahead with moving on. There were murmurings of interest from within the Bundesliga, but that would probably only have given him a select number of clubs to choose from if he was to make a true forward step, and my understanding is that there wasn’t really ever any strong interest from Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund in obtaining him.

That made it difficult for him to stay in the Bundesliga, but Ligue 1 was another option – PSG were interested in his profile, a young French talent from the Paris region, but ultimately Roma offered the best potential stepping stone for him to join a top European club where he can play regularly. He’s been linked with elite clubs in the past, and that’s not to say Roma aren’t quite at that level because they are a great club, but I think it looks like a good move for him to accrue more experience. He’s still at an early stage in his career as well, so in two or three years it could make more sense to see him move to the Premier League or other elite European clubs.

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Don’t blame Benzema for taking Saudi riches with Real Madrid career in the balance

I don’t think that there’ll be too many better offers certainly in financial terms after this summer for players like Benzema, and the same goes for Modric and Kroos to a certain extent as well. It’s always been a question of timing and how much someone has left in the in the tank, so to speak. I think we’ve seen this season that despite the fact that all three remain at Real Madrid they’re still at a very good level in European terms.

It might now be approaching that time when Real continue the overhaul of their squad and start to maybe move on from some of these guys. Benzema in particular has done extremely well in his 30s to physically remain at the top of his game for a concentrated period of time. He does have to be managed to almost pick and choose the games that he plays in now, and I do feel like he’s probably got less time left at the top than somebody who seems to be evergreen, like Modric. 

I do think feel like it’s probably the right time for Benzema to end his association with the club. Also, bear in mind how long he’s been there, I think it’s going on, what 15 years now. That’s an awfully long time by modern football standards. I think given the contract situation, that we’ve always heard that his extension is very close to being announced and then it never came into being, it perhaps reflects a little bit of uncertainty on the club’s part as to whether he can stay at the level that he was at when he won the Ballon d’Or. There’s no shame in saying that perhaps his absolute best days are now starting to be behind him, because he’s been phenomenal for a long period of time. 

I don’t think anyone really expected him to step up and fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo in the way that he has done, and I think he’s earned the right now to think about what his next move is. If he feels that a Saudi adventure will guarantee his and his family’s financial security thanks to taking a very, very lucrative offer, which it sounds like a number of other top profile players will be doing this summer, then you can’t really blame him.

Koundé sale would be desperate move from Barça

I think if there was a serious desire from Barcelona to move Jules Koundé on, there would definitely be a number of clubs interested in him, including from outside of the Premier League. It might not appeal to him that much, but I’m sure that PSG would at least consider the possibility of bringing him in if he was available at the right price.

To me, it kind of feels like a desperate rush to be able to put themselves into a financial position to be able to bring Messi back into the fold, even if that’s understandable from a romantic footballing point of view. It also suggests that the medium to long term strategy at the club could still be very questionable. It strikes me as very short sighted to potentially move on somebody like Koundé who hasn’t even really been played in his proper position at Barça in the last year or so. 

He’s still a top quality central defender and a more than capable right back as well, and that kind of versatility is quite difficult to find these days. So I’d be surprised really if Barça actually think that they can do without somebody of his talent. Instead, I feel that this is rooted in simply finding the quickest, easiest way to free up enough money to ensure that they can bring back Messi and then build out the project from there if I’m being perfectly honest.

It’s not the most sound logic to me, which I think is also reflected by the fact that it seems like Messi is still quite far away from a potential return to Camp Nou – and it’s a return that might not happen at all. For Barça to potentially sacrifice other players in that squad too means that they could run into more problems than they find solutions regarding a Messi return. 

Galatasaray’s 22-year-old full-back Sacha Boey could be perfect for Arsenal

Sacha Boey is an interesting one because he’s somebody who never exploded onto the scene in France and had to get a move away. He’s developed from there but is still just 22 years of age. The only real senior football that we have to judge from his time in France was actually a loan spell with Dijon. He only had a handful of appearances but the move to Galatasaray has been a really good one for him. He’s been in some of the France youth squads and obviously he’s now a title winner with Galatasaray which is a superb achievement for somebody so young. When you talk about being a full-back, there’s a real possibility for the boy to potentially develop into being one of the leading players in that position for France in the years to come. 

Although it sounds a bit weird to speak about a potential dearth of talent in any position when we’re talking about the French National Team, at right back and left back they don’t have quite the same depth positionally as pretty much every other role on the pitch. Boey is a very interesting prospect at club and international level. No disrespect to Galatasaray but I do think that there will still be an element of difference in the quality of play that he’s used to, should he make the move to a Premier League club like an Arsenal.

He would benefit from regular involvement at a higher European level, although Galatasaray did fantastically well to win back the Turkish title this season. There’s not necessarily been a player in his position so consistent on the continent for quite some time now, and somebody like Boey with the profile that he has could be very good for a club like Arsenal moving forward. He’s certainly able to get forward and chip in, in terms of the occasional goal, but he also regularly provides assists and is a bit more responsible in defensive terms than a lot of players that you see. 

Liverpool and Man United unlikely to sign French World Cup winner

There have been question marks over Benjamin Pavard’s mentality for some time. When you look at what happened with the World Cup, he started as a member of Didier Deschamps’ squad and then pretty much sank without trace after that – and that was linked to some attitude issues. It’s also something that we’ve heard a bit about from his time at Bayern Munich as well this kind of a feeling that he’s outgrown his surroundings, though I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that. He’s been considered quite a high profile name since that stunning goal scored at the 2018 World Cup and sometimes he’s found it a bit difficult to live up to that. 

There’ve been persistent rumours linking him with Barcelona if he does move away from Bayern Munich. I think a move is likely to happen at this stage with a new contract uncertain and Bayern also set to have a significant facelift after only winning the Bundesliga title on the final day. All signs point towards Barcelona, but I don’t see there being a natural opening for him at Camp Nou, certainly not as a priority arrival. It could be that he has to consider other options, but at this moment in time it does seem unlikely that he stays at Bayern. When interested clubs look at him beyond what he brings on the pitch and his his technical profile, they’ll look at his mentality and some clubs will be put off.

Liverpool and Manchester United… I do think that the likes of Klopp and ten Hag will probably see Pavard as a bit of a risk. He does have the ability to play for a top European club but it seems like the player himself already has an idea of what the next move should be in his career and I’m not sure that I necessarily see that being in the Premier League.

Ramos to stay put whilst Man City star could head to La Liga

The Sergio Ramos situation is quite interesting because PSG are expecting to complete the signing of Milan Skriniar on a free transfer. He’s already announced that he has the pre-contract agreement in place with PSG, however, he’s injured which means that PSG, who were planning to allow Ramos to leave as a free agent, now might have to reconsider. At this moment in time, if PSG keep Ramos, it’s more because of his leadership skills, personality and the character that his team-mates see from him every day in training than necessarily what he brings on the pitch.

I think once the likes of Marquinhos and Kimpembe are fully fit, they will likely be the starting defenders for PSG and I can’t see Ramos still being a nailed on starter against competition like that. What does that mean in terms of the new manager coming in? If Mourinho were to arrive, he would love to be able to call upon his wealth of experience because that’s not something that PSG have in spades, especially as they’ll shortly lose Messi. Also, Ramos seems to have taken a more hands on role than somebody like Messi in terms of passing on his experience, and he uses that wealth of experience in a very positive way. That’s not a bad thing for for PSG.

Man City’s Aymeric Laporte is a French national despite representing Spain at international level, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a guarantee of being a good fit for PSG. I do think that when all three central defenders are fully fit, PSG will be fairly well set up, unless they want to cash in on somebody like Kimpembe for example, who has been linked with the likes of Chelsea in the past. 

I think that’s unlikely to happen and a Ramos extension for one year would probably make sense assuming that he accepts that he’d probably play a squad role. I don’t think that there’s an obvious landing spot for Laporte in France, when you take into account PSGs defensive situation. If there was a club with a bit of money to spend, who knows what the future might hold for somebody like Marseille because there’ve been takeover rumours swirling for quite some time. Perhaps that kind of move might appeal, though it seems likely that his stock is highest back in Spain and I can see one of the biggest Spanish clubs moving for him at some point, no doubt. La Liga probably makes more sense as a potential destination than PSG at this moment in time.

No realistic chance of Neymar moving to Man United or Newcastle 

If the offer was serious from Saudi Arabia and the desire to bring him in was there then it’s potentially a real possibility. I just find it difficult to imagine any club being willing to spend a lot of money on him while he’s coming back from surgery. It’s almost a non starter. A lot of the chatter at the moment linking Manchester United is because intermediaries have been told to sound out potential landing spots for him. Obviously, he would go to the likes of Manchester United, Newcastle United or some of the big names where there is the kind of money available to potentially accommodate his wage demands. 

The difficulty is that PSG will have to compromise and probably accept that there’s unlikely to be an immediate fee in it for them. For Neymar, he might have to accept he has to compromise and in order to get back to playing football regularly, he might have to make a move away from the Champions League. If some of these big name players are going to Saudi Arabia and there’s suddenly a massive influx of talent, then perhaps being part of that wave of talent might appeal. If you’ve got the likes of Messi and Benzema, potentially going to Saudi Arabia then that would be in line with the Saudi league plan to raise the profile of the competition.

To be honest, I find any club any Premier League club taking an interest in Neymar is difficult to imagine because of how fragile he is and how often he gets injured. Injuries have been a big problem over the last couple of years, and there is very little probability that he will go through another season without any major injuries. Then there’s his behaviour away from the pitch. I think that will be a massive put off for a number of these Premier League clubs.

Given the financial cost it would take to bring him in, and the question marks over both his physical state and his mentality and motivation at this stage of his career, it’s a huge risk. I don’t think that there are that many clubs willing to just spend money without asking the questions and doing the due diligence. 

Clubs are more switched on transfer wise these days, and I don’t think we’ll see as many clubs in the future spending silly amounts of money on a player who let’s face it, at this moment in time, based on what we’ve seen from him on the pitch over the last couple of years, is past his best. And just look at his social media. I think the last football related update came a couple of months ago.  He’s now apparently, planning some boat cruise around Christmas time that’s going to be another one of his massive parties. 

It seems like he’s almost semi-retired from from top level football based on a lot of the stuff that we sort of see from him at the moment. It’s quite shocking, but equally I think it probably reflects on the pressure of expectation on him that was built up in the early years of his career and how that’s taken a toll on him both personally and professionally.

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PSG looking for buyers for Neymar but may have to look outside Europe

One of the big stories of the week has involved Neymar and those links with Manchester United. It’s important to be clear that, what’s happened there is not any direct contact between United and any other club with PSG, but it’s intermediaries, who are aware that PSG want to move Neymar on, and that’s nothing new, they tried to do so last summer as well.

The difference now is PSG have finally realised that they probably won’t be able to get rid of Neymar on a permanent deal, so they might accept a loan deal with an option or obligation to make the move permanent. The key for PSG is to get as much of his wages off their bill as possible, and that’s going to be a massive challenge.

Overall, I don’t think we can describe Neymar’s time at PSG as anything but underwhelming. I don’t think he’s set out to achieve what he wanted to achieve when he joined as the most expensive footballer of all time in 2017, and I don’t think PSG have achieved what they wanted to either.

It’s become quite a problematic situation, as we saw with the recent protests outside his house, with fans chanting that they wanted him to leave. That tells you all you need to know about Neymar’s relationship with the club’s fans now, and to be honest, there haven’t been too many European clubs who think Neymar would be a smart signing at this moment in time. He’s 31, he’s coming off the back of another injury – one which he really should have had surgery on when he arrived in Paris six years ago, and if you look at his social media, there’s nothing about football, it’s all gambling promotions and that kind of stuff. I think a lot of clubs are now wary that, despite the fact that Neymar once had the potential to be a Ballon d’Or winner, he’s on the verge of perhaps using up all his credit in Europe, so I think potentially a lucrative move to somewhere like Saudi Arabia could be the most realistic option for him now. Any European club making an offer for Neymar would have to be able to offer Champions League football, and it just doesn’t look a worthwhile risk when you look at the wages he’s on, with PSG so keen to get most, if not all of that off their books.

That looks a difficult ask for most European clubs, especially with the way business is being done these days. There’s not as much in the way of frivolous spending sprees, I think those days are more or less over; you look at someone like Newcastle United, who, under very wealthy owners, have got into the Champions League without spending stupid amounts of money on statement signings like Neymar, so why would they change now? Neymar certainly hasn’t shown anything in the last few years that suggests he’d be a game-changer anymore for big European clubs like that. His stats were pretty decent before the World Cup, but there’s the sense that that was more because of a focus on getting into form ahead of Qatar, rather than because of anything going on at PSG. His form then tailed off hugely, and if he’s going to be so selective about when he turns it on then I think a lot of clubs will be put off by that, because it’s clear that he can be a disruptive presence in the dressing room and away from the pitch as well.

On a side note, there’s not much to the links with Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae. PSG have already secured the signing of Milan Skriniar on a free transfer from Inter Milan. PSG wanted him in January but he’s set to join as a free agent this summer instead, though one issue since then is that he’s had to have an operation on a back problem, so there’s no guarantee that he’s going to be in a better state than someone like Presnel Kimpembe, who’s also been out with a long-term injury.

So if PSG do bring someone in as a defensive reinforcement, I think it would more likely be a squad option. Assuming Marquinhos signs his new contract and PSG go with a three-man defence, that would likely be Marquinhos, Skriniar and Kimpembe as the first choice, so there doesn’t look to be room for Kim, who would also be extremely expensive. There’s also some uncertainty over Sergio Ramos and whether it would be worth keeping him around for another season.

On top of that, there’s also uncertainty over who will be PSG’s coach next season, so that creates a lot of unanswered questions over things like Neymar’s future, and probably makes a costly signing like Kim unlikely.

Ousmane Dembele’s Barcelona uncertainty

Ousmane Dembele’s future is under the spotlight again as we approach the summer, and he’s a player who will always have interest in him, as he’s a talented player who is still regarded as a potential star, only for ongoing issues with fitness and consistency. He signed a new contract with Barcelona last summer and my understanding is that has a release clause in the region of €50m. That’s a lot of money for a player who, like Neymar, would represent a bit of a gamble for most clubs.

In an ideal world Barcelona would like to keep him, and for him to succeed, but if you look at their ongoing financial problems, it’s likely to be a summer in which there’s a major overhaul of the squad. We saw that Barcelona were very close to sacrificing Dembele in the past, only for him to stay on reduced wages, so it’s clear he’s not exactly seen as a player who can be relied upon for the long term; you always know there will be large swathes of the season when he’s either unavailable or out of form.

My understanding is that Barcelona could let him go if the right offer comes in, but at the same time it’s hard to imagine someone will just come in and activate that release clause, I think that would be wishful thinking. Dembele is a name clubs will certainly look at this summer, but whether they make a bid is something else entirely.

Like most players at the very top, I’m sure Dembele could be open to playing in the Premier League at some point. However, my understanding is that the closest he’s come to leaving Barcelona so far was when PSG showed interest in him when Leonardo was still sporting director. There has been interest from Premier League clubs down the years, but my impression is that he doesn’t necessarily look at it as the best destination for him. We’ve seen him struggle with physical problems and the Premier League is a very physically demanding league, so I’m not sure it would be the best fit for him. Were there to be an offer on the table for him from a Premier League club I have no doubt he’d consider it, but I don’t think he sees it as a priority or best fit for his profile.

The most likely destinations for Marcus Thuram

Marcus Thuram is set to become a free agent this summer, and he’s seen as an enticing option on the market by a number of clubs around Europe this summer. My understanding is that the strongest interest is coming from Spain and Italy, and it seems most likely that he’ll go to a club from Spain. Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan look like two names to watch.

With Chelsea, there was interest in January but it’s understandable that he decided not to make the move. Looking at the state of Chelsea right now, it’s a hard sell, and now they’re going to be without Champions League football as well. The squad appears to be being put together quite sloppily, so it’s hard to see it being a smart move. Perhaps if someone like Newcastle came in for Thuram now, with the offer of Champions League football, that could be of interest to him, but I understand he sees Spain as a preferable destination, while he also wouldn’t be against returning to France. PSG might see him as an interesting opportunity to add some variety to their attack, and he also has a good relationship with Kylian Mbappe, which shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to decisions like this.

Still, if I had to pick two likely destinations for him, I think Atleti and Inter look the favourites. He’s allowed himself a few months to come to the end of his contract so there’ll be options out there for him, and I think he’ll make his choice once the Bundesliga season comes to an end.

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Hannibal Mejbri could benefit from Ligue 1 return

Hannibal Mejbri will be facing an important summer after spending the season on loan at Birmingham City from Manchester United. He’s been regarded as a big prospect for some time, but it hasn’t quite happened for him yet.

I remember there was a lot of interest in him when he was at Monaco, and Monaco youth academy graduates tend to attract a lot of interest generally, before Kylian Mbappe’s emergence but even more since then. There’s no doubt with Mejbri that there’s a Premier League-quality player in there, but it’s just about unlocking that potential.

Looking at Mejbri now, he perhaps still needs to mature a little before being ready for Premier League football, and one way for him to do that maybe is to return to Ligue 1 on a loan deal next season and really push himself into contention to play for a Premier League club. His potential is extremely high, that was clear when he was playing in France, so there’s still time for him to unlock that, but having said that, I don’t know if he’s going to be quite at the level for a club like Manchester United.

Where he goes next will be key for his development, let’s see if he can explode into a real top talent, or if he ends up being more of a solid profile for most Premier League clubs, if not that elite group at the top.

Growing interest in Montpellier wonderkid Elye Wahi

Elye Wahi is an interesting player who’s starting to attract a lot of interest after his fine form with Montpellier this season. Still only 20 years of age, the forward has 17 goals and five assists in Ligue 1, and there’s growing interest from clubs across Europe.

German clubs often keep an eye on Ligue 1, with the success of players like Moussa Diaby and Randal Kolo Muani, and Wahi is the latest coming up on their radars. There have also been links with Arsenal, and there was seemingly heavy interest from Tottenham a few months ago, though that’s died down now that the club have fallen out of contention for a Champions League place.

Wahi is very highly rated and there are clubs in Ligue 1 keeping an eye on him as well to potentially see if they can move him out of Montpellier. He has said on record that he’d be open to staying in France for a bit longer, so that could be one to watch. My feeling is that he’s a raw talent and he could perhaps do with going to a club who’d act as a sort of a finishing school for him before moving to a top Premier League club.

With regards to those links to Arsenal, it’s becoming increasingly clear that they’re ready to offload Folarin Balogun this summer, so I don’t see the logic in them filling in his position in the squad with someone like Wahi, who needs to keep on playing somewhere where he’ll be first choice. There’s no doubting his talent and goal-scoring ability, he’s a real predator who knows how to put the ball in the back of the net and that’s going to be extremely valuable for a number of clubs. But whether he stays at Montpellier or goes elsewhere, he needs to start, and if he goes to Arsenal that would not be guaranteed.

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