Football Season Guide

PSG have been embroiled in a difficult summer of transition. Luis Enrique’s side have finally seen the departure of superstar player Kylian Mbappe, who they have yet to seriously replace in an attacking capacity at Parc des Princes. To complicate matters even more for Les Parisiens, they have lost a huge number of players to Euro 2024 and the Copa America, meaning that a huge number of their regular stars have been bereft of a proper pre-season. Combine this with a slow performance in the transfer market and it means that PSG are unlikely to hit the ground running. Defence was a particular problem last season. Not only did goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma look thoroughly uncomfortable with the ball at his feet – something Luis Enrique wants – there was little solidarity in the centre-back area. Willian Pacho’s arrival from Frankfurt should help solve that problem to some extent, yet a lack of depth in the heart of the rearguard due to Presnel Kimpembe’s ongoing injury issues, Balerdi’s sheer rawness and Milan Skriniar’s lack of form is a concern. In midfield, PSG at least look a complete unit and actually have some depth in this sector of the team. Joao Neves is the big addition here, offering the type of tone-setting midfielder they did not have last season. Manuel Ugarte may yet leave but even if this is the case, there will be a strong and apparently well-balanced group of five to six players, perhaps lacking only a genuine No.10, which Xavi Simons could have been had he not forced another loan move. Options out wide are plentiful, especially with 16-year-old ___ shining in pre-season, yet there are concerns over PSG’s efficiency in the big games. They were overly reliant on Mbappe last season, but perhaps his absence could actually help Goncalo Ramos get the consistent game time he needs to prove himself.