Paris Saint-Germain has always been a club that has flattered to deceive, and a lot of it stems down to the way they build the team and the managers they hire. Last season was certainly a strange one under Luis Enrique as they cruised to yet another Ligue 1 title, but with Leo Messi and Neymar both departing in the summer of 2023 and the ensuing drama around Kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid intensifying it seemed there was a change in strategy when it came to the market for the Parisian club.
No big names were signed and the goal was to create a more functional team with Mbappe frontlining the attack. Despite going deep into the UEFA Champions League, they failed to lift the trophy once again.
Now with the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner having finally joined the Galacticos, it seems Enrique will double down on his philosophy of focusing on the team more than a superstar and here are a few players who they could let go this window to hone the plan further:
#5 Carlos Soler
Carlos Soler is a very versatile player who is most likely heading for the PSG exit. The Spaniard can feature pretty much anywhere across the pitch, but that hasn’t helped him in getting regular minutes. He made only 28 appearances throughout the season, clocking a total of just 1277 minutes and bagging 2 goals and 4 assists.
Only signed in 2022, the 27-year-old’s time in France looks to be already over. Journalist Fabrizio Romano has announced that he could be on his way out, while various outlets have heavily linked him with a move to Aston Villa.
#4 Nordi Mukiele
Versatile defender Nordi Mukiele is expected to leave PSG this summer after not being favoured at all by Luis Enrique. The 26-year-old was mostly a substitute under the Spaniard and already had suitors in the January transfer window this year. With just 20 appearances and clocking only 938 minutes of football last season, the Frenchman is keen to move on.
Bayern Munich were hot on his trail in the winter but couldn’t reach an agreement with PSG. Chelsea were also said to be briefly interested in the former RB Leipzig man. Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Mukiele will likely leave the French capital this summer despite being under contract until 2027.
#3 Marco Asensio
Marco Asensio still has two more years remaining on his PSG contract
Marco Asensio was one of the leading names under Carlo Ancelloti at Real Madrid but after his move to the French capital, the Spaniard hasn’t been afforded many chances to impress by Enrique which made him miss out on Spain’s 2024 UEFA European Championship squad.
Across 25 appearances in the domestic realm including the Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France, Asensio scored 7 goals and provided 5 assists in less than 1350 minutes of game time.
With many La Liga sides including Girona and Real Betis losing many of their top names in the ongoing transfer window, it would be interesting to witness if any of the Spanish clubs can arrange a temporary or a permanent move for the right-winger which would certainly be a lifeline for his national team career.
#2 Manuel Ugarte
Manuel Ugarte has only been with PSG for a year but already he could be making a swift exit. The midfielder does not appear to be in Enrique’s plans and so the French club are receptive to offers. Despite making just 37 appearances in total, the Uruguayan has 10 goal contributions to his name last season.
Ugarte joined the Ligue 1 champions from Sporting Lisbon last summer, knocking down interest from Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Liverpool. And now it appears as though Manchester United is hot on the player’s heels as they look to bring in a replacement for Casemiro, who looks set to join a club in the Saudi Pro League.
In fact as per latest reports, PSG has lowered their asking price from 70 to 59 million euros after Fabrizio Romano released news that the player and the Red Devils have agreed personal terms already and all that is left is for the clubs to meet at a price that suits both parties.
#1 Xavi Simons
Xavi Simons could be at the heart of a lot of transfer drama this year
Dutch midfielder Xavi Simons is likely not to extend his stay at Paris Saint-Germain, and several leading European clubs have shown interest in signing him this summer.
Given his performances on loan with RB Leipzig last season where he scored 10 goals and provided 15 assists over 43 appearances as well as his performance with Netherlands at the UEFA Euro 2024 where he played in 6 games and scored once and bagged 2 assists, the spotlight is on him as there is a beeline to secure his signature.
In the 2022-23 Eridivise season, Simons scored 19 goals and provided 9 assists in 34 appearances which prompted PSG to loan him out to a higher-quality league with all respect to the Dutch domestic league.
After impressing in Germany, the likes of Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and RB Leipzig are after the Amsterdam-born starlet’s signature and it remains to be seen where the midfielder will end up at the end of the transfer window.