Faced with the uncertain future of the three great stars of Paris Saint-Germain, they will probably have to sign a new top striker this summer.
Ángel Di María’s contract expires in June and, although PSG have indicated their intention to renew him, the Argentine international turned 33 in February and is not a long-term solution. Doubts persist around star striker Kylian Mbappé, his contract expiring in 2022 and he expressed his desire to play for Real Madrid “one day”. And then there’s Neymar, who continues to worry about his injuries – the 29-year-old Brazilian has only started 16, 15 and nine (this season) League 1 games for PSG in the last three years.
Although PSG manages to renew some of the contracts mentioned above – sources told ESPN that Neymar has already reached a four-year deal – the French giant will still want to incorporate a striker, preferably one able to play in different positions to try to conquer the elusive Champions League Trophy.
Sources told ESPN that the club has expressed interest in signing Barcelona’s legendary Lionel Messi at the end of his contract this summer, but the 33-year-old Argentine’s future remains uncertain after the presidential election and his financial expectations would be difficult to meet – assuming he wants to something similar to his current salary – even for PSG.
Who then could be interested in one of the richest clubs in the world? Given the current climate, it will be difficult to achieve, but these five alternatives could be suitable in Paris.
The Egyptian international is among half a dozen Liverpool players who managed to stand out in a disappointing Premier League campaign. Although the team’s attack patterns have become largely unrecognizable – given that the colorful interaction between strikers we’ve seen in previous years has been largely absent in the last six games they’ve played and lost, at Anfield – Salah did his part. He has 17 league goals and remains Anfield’s most creative player; this season, he is still averaging 1.47 times per game, compared to 1.67 in his sensational previous season.
PSG’s hopes of signing Salah will increase if Liverpool do not qualify for the Champions League this season, as rumors circulate of DT Jürgen Klopp and the club could decide to sell a well-paid player who He turns 29 this summer. before his contract (which expires in 2023) enters his home area. In any case, the prospect of signing Salah would give PSG a more consistent left-handed alternative to that of Pablo Sarabia and would obviously add another world-class star to the team, although it would not be cheap.
After a discreet start to the campaign, possibly affected by the long-awaited transfer of 120 million euros to Manchester United, which never materialized, Sancho reaches the same level that catapulted him into the best echelon of offensive / attacking midfielders in Europe this season last. Since the beginning of the year, the English winger has found the net eight times, facilitating another seven goals.
With signals from Manchester United indicating that the club may not be interested in renewing the 20-year-old’s contract, other European powers could start exploring possible passes. Sancho’s verticality and incisiveness in the last third of the field, combined with his ability to cope comfortably on both sides, make him a viable target. Dortmund are currently four points clear of the Champions League qualifiers, and the inability to qualify for the tournament, in addition to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, could make Sancho’s departure inevitable this summer.
Under normal circumstances, a striker like Martinez would have been untouchable, perhaps even for teams like PSG, but with the pandemic and the owners of Inter, the Chinese conglomerate Suning, after closing the doors of one of their football operations in China, nothing can be excluded.
Martínez, who appeared when playing at Racing Club de Avellaneda in Argentina as a teenager, had a devastating form playing for Inter this season. Connecting well with Romelu Lukaku in front, the Argentine international scored 13 goals, usually assisting the Belgian – or being assisted by him.
With his intensity, sixth sense of opportunism, his natural ability and his competitive drive, Martínez is a striker in the style of Luis Suárez or Carlos Tevez. Always on the move and excellent in approaching the opponent’s attack, he can also play on the left side in the attack, from where he can cut from the inside to continue with the predominant foot. Very useful in the pressure game, he is also willing to help below.
One of the top three Ligue 1 players in recent seasons, Depay is an attractive proposition for some European giants, as he will be available as a free agent in the summer. Depay wasted no time in overcoming his failed (albeit somewhat underestimated) internship at Manchester United, as he quickly became a key player for Lyon since joining the club in January 2017.
While Barcelona and Juventus have been reported to be on the list of interests for the Dutch striker, it would not be a surprise if PSG were also in the top. First of all a player open in the Premier League, Depay was mainly described as a “fake no. 9 ”with Lyon – usually coming down to take on his role as a player or to make room for the wings. His versatility, along with his surprising technical qualities and his ability to create danger with every touch he puts on the ball, indicate that captain Lyon belongs to the elite of this game.
While a potential move between the two French rivals would not be to the liking of Lyon’s president, Jean-Michel Aulas, PSG would no doubt enjoy being able to deprive their rivals of their star player.
Although Oyarzabal lacks the stellar attraction of the other two, he could be a very good addition – especially if PSG get to follow many of their internal and European rivals, taking a more cautious path in the transfer market. While taking advantage of talent and resale value are paramount in this scenario, at Mauricio Pochettino, PSG now has a coach who has never escaped the task of developing talent.
Remarkably at the youth level, Oyarzabal has already added almost 200 football matches in the league with Real Sociedad and recently obtained a starting place with the Spanish senior team. With a clever game that wanders the field without the ball and a prominent left foot (although very capable on the right as well), the 23-year-old Basque striker can operate on each wing and is especially useful when he can slide in central areas to make passes. for teammates running from midfield (he has scored 35 impressive key passes this season). Ten goals and six assists in the league this season suggest he may be on the verge of taking off.