Paris Saint-Germain “regrets” the youth system

Less than a year ago, just after Kylian Mbappe was renewed, Nasser Al-Khelaifi emphasized the importance of the youth system in Paris Saint-Germain. “We want to train and sign Parisian players to make the team more competitive.” The president, realizing that the star project was in its final throes, called for a team full of footballers at home, full of enthusiasm and attachment to a club whose inner identity emerged in his absence.

Since the arrival of the Qatar Sports Investment Fund in Paris, specifically in 2011, there have been many local players who have decided to pack their bags in search of opportunities, through a rigged petrodollar project that has absorbed only the stars in the team. This Tuesday, without going any further, Mike Mignan, the international goalkeeper with France who trained at Paris Saint-Germain, appeared as the hero of Milan in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after saving a decisive penalty kick in the confrontation against Napoli..

The goalkeeper is one of many home-grown players who have been forced to leave PSG due to a lack of opportunities. An exemplary case, which later entered the club’s black history, was Kingsley Coman. After making his debut and proving himself an emerging promise, the winger went to Juventus and later played a key role at Bayern, scoring the only goal in the 2020 final that left the Parisians without a European Cup..

You can build up to eleven PSG trainees who are not currently in the squad. In Target, in addition to the aforementioned Maignan, there is also the case of Aréola. The former Real Madrid player, who is currently in West Ham, has become a key player in the 2018/2019 season, after accumulating various tasks, among them being assigned to Villarreal. However, Tuchel decided to play with Buffon in the round of 16 in a draw against Manchester United with a fateful result, and the French international did not settle in the first team again.

In defense, although he hasn’t been around for many years, he is Ferland Mindy. The left-back was sold to FC Mantois in 2012 before establishing himself as a formidable player at Le Havre. Currently at Real Madrid and last year’s Champions League champion with the Whites, Mendy has spent several years in PSG’s youth system. He will be joined by other names, such as Zagado, who passed through Dortmund, or Nyanzo, the central defender who came into force with Tuchel, who signed for Bayern, where he had no chances and is currently in Seville.

The level begins to increase in the midfield. Guendouzi, a player from Marseille, PSG’s greatest rival, left the Parisian academy to sign for Lorient, with whom he had a great start in Ligue 2 before joining Emery with Arsenal. Alongside him is Soumare, who signed Bielsa for Lille realizing his potential and who, after several seasons at an extraordinary level, signed for Leicester..

The other talent PSG “wasted” was Adrian Rabiot. He is probably, along with Kimpembe, the youth team player who has gone the furthest in the first team. During seven seasons, he played 227 matches and settled in the middle of the field, and his departure was harsh. After Al-Khulaifi refused to renew, he sent him to the stands until the end of the season, and he signed in June as a free agent for Juventus.

In attack, three players of extraordinary talent should be added to the aforementioned leader: Nkunko, Ikon and Diaby. In 2019, Leonardo, recently renamed PSG Sports Director, decided to sell the former and the latter to balance accounts. Nkunku signed with Leipzig for €13m and, barring a surprise, would sell him to Chelsea for €80. Diaby, the winger Campos had spotted for the summer, was sold to Leverkusen for €15m and now has a market value of €50. Ikuni, key in Fiorentina who was in the semi-finals The final of the Conference League and that was international with FranceIn addition to winning Ligue 1 with Lille in 2021, he is one of the other footballers forced to leave PSG due to a lack of minutes.

Other players, like Moussa Dembele, Olympique Lyonnais striker, Timothy Weah, Lille winger, Mohamed Ali Chu, Real Sociedad striker or even Kalimuendo, sold to Rennes last summer for 25 million (plus Xavi Simons or Michotte, moved to PSV and Sunderland), are patent cases For local players who don’t have opportunities in Paris. For this reason, Al-Khelaifi and Luis Campos want to protect the arrivals: Ismail Gharbi, Hosni, Petchiapo, Zaire Emery, the jewel in the crown or even Ayman Carey who, despite being loaned to Lorient, saved the club. shopping option.