The announced departure of Kylian Mbappé will plunge Paris Saint-Germain into a new era. An exciting chapter for the capital club, which will have colossal resources to build its team.
It is fashionable to say that no player is irreplaceable. For PSG, it is a timely adage, because the capital club will not be able to replace Kylian Mbappé. For his statistical contribution (more than 40 goals per year for three seasons), his technical profile (a unique ability to attack depth), his very unique personality and the threat he embodies, the best scorer in the history of the club of the capital is an almost unique individuality in the panorama of world football. In terms of numbers alone, only Erling Haaland could compare.
It is therefore not by trying to replace its flagship player with another footballer that Paris Saint-Germain will make up for his departure. The post-Mbappé era must be part of a finer strategy, with the perspective of building a more homogeneous, balanced collective, and tailored to the demands of modern football.
An attack that has already started to be renewed
The offensive sector will obviously be turned upside down. For the first time since 2012 and the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG will no longer have in its ranks an attacker capable of stacking at least 30 pawns over a Ligue 1 season. The departure of the Swede had allowed Edinson Cavani to put back in the axis, at a time when Angel Di Maria provided another guarantee in the pass. A year later, Neymar and Mbappé arrived in the capital.
Paris must therefore not be mistaken about the identity of its future attacker(s). The names of Victor Osimhen (Naples) and Rafael Leao (AC Milan) naturally emerge in the Campos galaxy. A pure center forward, the Nigerian looks more like a missing piece in the puzzle, as Luis Enrique won’t be starting from a clean sheet either.
The rise of Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola bodes well for the future. Gonçalo Ramos did not exploit his full potential, Randal Kolo Muani must regain confidence and Marco Asensio brought all his high-level knowledge. Nature abhors a vacuum. The departure of Mbappé should encourage certain players to resume their role as offensive leader.
Finally big fish in the middle?
With the resources generated by the economy of Kylian Mbappé’s salary, PSG will have a significant financial surface to strengthen in all lines, starting with the midfield. A key sector for Luis Enrique. One or more big fish(es) are expected in the midfield.
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The capital club should look at a technical number 6 capable of shining in the first relaunch, after a winter marked by rumors of the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle) and Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), and the signing of the young Brazilian Gabriel Moscardo. The possibility of seeing a more offensive and decisive midfielder cannot be ruled out. From Bernardo Silva to Lucas Paqueta, there is no shortage of ideas.
A defense that should also be strengthened
Finally, PSG should strengthen significantly defensively. While captain Marquinhos is no longer as sovereign, the capital club would look at very promising prospects, such as Lille’s Leny Yoro. If Milan Skriniar did not really meet expectations, Lucas Hernandez, Achraf Hakimi or Nuno Mendes embody the future of this new-look PSG.
