The reigning Ligue 1 champion will most likely bid farewell to both the head coach, the number one passer and the team’s most expensive contract after this year’s season ends.
Paris Saint-Germain became the most successful French club in history with 11 national championship titles, more than Saint-Etienne (10 times). However, it is difficult to consider 2022/23 as a successful season for the Paris team. Conflicts, toxic atmospheres and poor results on the football field have been going on at PSG since the beginning of the season. That requires the Qatari owners to make many big decisions after this year’s Ligue 1 championship.
After Messi will be Neymar?
Lionel Messi scored in a 1-1 draw against Strasbourg in the 37th round, thereby directly bringing the French championship this season to PSG. However, this will almost be the last glorious moment of the Argentine superstar in the PSG shirt. Over the past two months, Leo has clearly been unhappy with what has happened at the Parc des Princes when he was booed by PSG fans and received a fine for skipping the club’s training session to go to Saudi Arabia to make money.
The goal against Strasbourg also helped Messi go down in history when he became the top scorer in the top 5 European leagues (496 goals), more than Cristiano Ronaldo (495). However, Messi will not miss PSG much when he leaves the club on a free transfer this June. At the French team, Messi was criticized for not being able to succeed in the Champions League. Two Ligue 1 titles are not enough for the Argentine superstar’s expectations.
The same will happen to Neymar , who created the most insane deal in world football history when PSG paid 222 million euros to break his contract with Barca. Rumors about the Brazilian star’s move to Manchester United appeared just days before PSG played the decisive match for the Ligue 1 crown.
In the press conference on May 26, coach Erik ten Hag of Manchester United also attracted attention when he did not even rule out the possibility of buying Neymar. No one knows exactly if MU is really serious about buying Neymar, but the most obvious thing here is that PSG is ready to part with the striker born in 1992.
The PSG leadership is said to have been planning to sell Neymar since last year, when they had just signed a new contract with Mbappe. The French striker was also entangled in rumors that he wanted the club to liquidate Neymar to reform the force. Mbappe himself is not sure to stay at PSG after next year’s season ends. Mbappe’s current contract with PSG is only valid until June 2024 and he can completely leave on a free transfer at the end of next season.
PSG has a clause that allows Mbappe to extend until June 2025 if the two sides reach an agreement. The deadline for this provision to be activated is July 31, 2023. Currently, the French spearhead has not shown signs of being ready to continue sticking with the Parc des Princes. Mbappe is said to have refused to commit to a long-term future with PSG if the French capital club does not make positive moves in the transfer market this summer.
If this information is true, the Qatari owners must definitely create a “revolution” of personnel to please Mbappe. In September last year, Mbappe publicly criticized the tactics of coach Christophe Galtier. After what PSG showed in this season, the French strategist is likely to be sacked after the Ligue 1 championship 2022/23.
In addition to being unpopular with Mbappe, Mr. Galtier also disappointed the Qatari owners because of his poor performance in big matches and showed that he lost control of the PSG dressing room in many important moments.
Which coach will join PSG?
There are too many question marks for PSG after the Ligue 1 championship. Besides the issues related to the transfer of players, who to replace Mr. Galtier to sit in the PSG coach is also an equally important question. The position of coach has always been a big worry for PSG since the Qatari took over the club. Even many people consider the coach to be one of the biggest weaknesses that makes PSG fail in the Champions League playground.
Luis Enrique and Jose Mourinho are the two brightest candidates for the PSG coach next season. PSG’s sporting director, Luis Campos, has a good relationship with both of these strategists. Mr. Campos is still trusted by the PSG leadership and the Portuguese expert has at least next season to prove his ability.
Choosing between Enrique or Mourinho is not easy for the PSG leadership. Both of these coaches are experienced and have won the Champions League. Negotiations with Enrique will be easier because the former Spain captain is still free after the 2022 World Cup. Meanwhile, Mourinho has a contract with AS Roma until June 2024.
Two years ago, the MNM trio (Messi – Neymar – Mbappe) was expected to help PSG quench their thirst for the Champions League. The disbandment of this trio in the summer of 2023 is the clearest sign of the failure of the French capital team. They need to find a different route if they want to reach the top of Europe for the first time.