AFP – Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are beginning a new era following the departure of Kylian Mbappe and the reigning French champions have so far kept a low profile as they prepare for life without the superstar forward.
Mbappe moved to Real Madrid when his contract expired in June, ending a prolific seven-year association with the Qatar-owned club in which he struck a remarkable 256 goals to become their all-time top scorer.
The France captain therefore leaves an enormous void, so big that PSG appear to have decided there is no one player who could possibly fill it adequately.
Coach Luis Enrique takes his team to Normandy to face Le Havre tonight on the opening night of the new Ligue 1 campaign without any glitzy new signing having arrived to directly replace Mbappe.
PSG have nevertheless spent money in Europe’s summer transfer window, and they may still move for a top-class striker before the deadline at the end of the month.
Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, who previously starred in Ligue 1 for Lille, has been linked with a move to the French capital, although it is unclear whether he would fit in with Luis Enrique’s preferred style of football.
For now, though, PSG’s efforts in the transfer market have been focused elsewhere, with an estimated EUR125 million (USD132.2million) invested on three players.
Nineteen-year-old Portuguese midfield prodigy Joao Neves, who appeared for his country at Euro 2024, has arrived from Benfica for EUR59.9 million, a fee which could rise by EUR10 million when bonuses are factored in.
The defence has been strengthened with the recruitment of Ecuador centre-back Willian Pacho, 22, from Eintracht Frankfurt for up to EUR45 million.
PSG’s first summer signing was the Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov, 25, from Krasnodar in his homeland for a reported EUR20 million. He will provide competition for first-choice custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Meanwhile, Mbappe apart, the Parisians have kept hold of the spine of their team from last season and have also incorporated teenage Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Moscardo after signing him from Corinthians in January but allowing him to stay there on loan for six more months.
French international wingers Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola will be expected to build on impressive performances last season, while the hope is that Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos – scorers of 23 goals between them in the last campaign – will step up to help fans forget Mbappe.
