Football Season Guide

PSG have endured a tumultuous summer that has been dominated by the news of Kylian Mbappe’s fallout with the club. Though at the time of writing the France star’s future is unclear, it looks improbable that he will play a role at Parc des Princes in 2023/24, with the expectation that a deal will be cut by the end of August. But Mbappe is not the only problem PSG are facing. The decision to sack Christophe Galtier was made late – after preseason training began – and Luis Enrique has barely been in post for a month. Preseason results have been disappointing, which is a worrying sign for a club that only won Ligue 1 by a single point last season and professes to have ambitions of winning the Champions League. Ironically, behind all this, PSG seem to have conducted some smart business in the transfer window as they attempt to build more of a team ethic. To that end, Lionel Messi’s departure could bring short-term pain for long-term gain. More workmanlike players have arrive, with Marco Asensio the type of figure who will quietly add to their attacking talent, with Neymar having looked very promising in the few preseason minutes he has earned. The Brazilian may benefit from potentially taking centre stage. Meanwhile, youngsters Cher Ndour, Kang-in Lee and Manuel Ugarte all help strengthen a midfield that can look unbalanced and in which the influence of Marco Verratti is sadly fading. Similarly, Fabian Ruiz, Carlos Soler, Gini Wijnaldum and Renato Sanches have failed to pull their weight at the club but have the quality to explode in the correct circumstances. In defence, meanwhile, PSG have added two quality centre-backs in the form of Milan Skriniar and Lucas Hernandez from Inter and Bayern, which suggests they will become tougher to breakdown. With Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe also available in this area, PSG have ample options. Indeed, the work PSG have done in the summer means there are two quality players for each defensive position. Beyond the Mbappe scenario lingering into the new season, PSG’s biggest problem remains a bloated squad full of players they don’t want. August will be spent busily trying to move these players on rather than adding to what they have.