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PSG’s Eiffel Tower of talent!

By on August 9, 2015

Paris Saint-Germain’s towering colossus of star signings is beginning to look as big as the Eiffel Tower; Zlatan Ibrahimovic certainly helps on that measure. Not only will there be a host of stars in the French capital this coming season but Laurent Blanc’s side is also beginning to assemble depth. This weekend, a ten man PSG started the defense of their Ligue 1 with a 1-0 away victory at Lille, thanks to a second-half strike from Brazilian midfielder Lucas Moura. Richard Lewis takes a look at a few factors that will decide whether PSG can add the Champions League title to their growing trophy cabinet.

A Blanc Chequebook!

Since Financial Fair Play (FFP) punishments were relaxed earlier this year by UEFA, PSG have attacked the transfer window this past summer, mind, not that they took much care last summer, spending £50 million on defender David Luiz.

Thanks to the spending might of PSG’s Qatar-based owners, Blanc has a blank checkbook to fill in the figure and player of his choosing. Like the Taylor Swift song, he can quote potential suitors with his blank space, baby, where he can write their names.

The Ligue 1 manager, for instance, poached marquee signing Angel di Maria from Manchester United in PSG’s latest blockbuster move. Blanc has also brought in multiple signings of smaller magnitude, including…

Shut Your Trapp!

Paris Saint-Germain will be hoping that their Trapp remains firmly shut between the goalposts this season, having snapped up a new first choice goalkeeper with a surname made for headline writers and potential pun makers (myself included!). Twenty-five-year-old goalkeeper Kevin Trapp joined from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer and started their opening game of the season. He signed a five-year deal in the French capital in July and will wear the number sixteen jersey, with Salvatore Sirigu still occupying the No1.

PSG fans shouldn’t fall into the Trapp of thinking the German goalkeeper will start the majority of games, as Sirigu has been a loyal squad member and has twice been voted Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year. Blanc may decide to revert back to Sirigu for the rest of this season or designate one to cup competitions, the other to the league. Alternatively, Blanc could take after Barcelona’s style and use the two goalkeepers interchangeably throughout the season.

Trapp has not yet earned a senior German cap but was called up to the squad in June when the World Cup winners faced minnows Gibraltar. PSG also have the experienced goalkeeper Nicolas Douchez on their books, but like Victoria Beckham with the rest of the Spice Girls, only makes an experience every now and again.

Paris St-Benjamin!

Watford simply didn’t stand a chance when PSG showed an interest in Tottenham midfielder Benjamin Stambouli, swooping in to pluck the defensive midfielder out of Watford’s jaws on a five-year deal for a fee reported to be about £6 million. Watford seemed to have agreed a £5.5 million fee for Stambouli’s services, but were effectively blown out of the water when Blanc pinned the Frenchman as his replacement for Yohan Cabaye, who joined Crystal Palace over the summer and scored on his debut against Norwich City this weekend.

The former France Under-21 player made just twelve appearances for Spurs after arriving from Montpellier last summer. The twenty-four-year-old was in the Montpellier squad that won the 2012 Ligue 1 title and a fee of £6 million is nothing for a club of PSG’s immense spending ability. Indeed, Stambouli is likely to be a substitute and sat the bench during PSG’s league opener against Lille. Stambouli did not get the time to develop his talent Spurs, but clearly has some quality about him and should slot nicely back into the routine of football in his homeland. PSG also need to fulfill their home-grown player quota and Stambouli will count towards that.

Di Special One!

If Angel di Maria moved to France in part for a change in lifestyle, particularly after the scare of a burglary at his home in Manchester, he won’t be much comforted by the fact that Formula One star driver Jenson Button was gassed and robbed at a plush villa in St. Tropez; Button’s wife reportedly losing a £250,000 ring.

However, the move is perhaps a win-win for both clubs, with United manager Louis van Gaal getting Di Maria, who seemingly wasn’t in the Dutchman’s long-term plans, off his books and PSG coming one step closer to their goal of winning the Champions League. The twenty-seven-year-old will wear the number eleven shirt at the Parc des Princes, providing service for the likes of Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani and target man Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Di Maria will add a new dimension to PSG and Les Parisiens will hope the Argentine winger will give them more chance against the likes of Barcelona in Europe.

Certainly, if United get past Club Brugge in their Champions League qualifying playoff, PSG will be one to avoid in the group stage draw of the finals. The French may enjoy eating snails but PSG are growing and spending at lightning speed.

Recently, another United player joined Ligue 1, with right-back Rafael Da Silva making a £2.5 million to Lyon — choosing to wear the number 20 shirt at his new club in tribute to his time at Old Trafford. Lyon will be in the Champions League in 2015/16, after finishing as runners-up to PSG in the domestic league table. Rafael’s twin brother Fabio already departed for Cardiff City in January 2014, while £12.7 million Italian right-back Matteo Darmian has replaced both in United’s squad.

Photo credit: Fanny Schertzer, via Wikimedia Commons

About Richard Lewis

Richard Lewis can relate almost anything to football and quite often does! You may have seen Richard's previous ideas and work in the BBC Match of the Day Magazine, from 2011 to present. He is a Manchester United and England fan, but has gone to see Leyton Orient play with his O's season ticket in the 2013/14 campaign. Aside from football, Richard has written articles on Doctor Who and studies English Language and Linguistics at the University of Westminster. Aspiring sports journalist.