Since the arrival of Qatar at the head of PSG in May 2011, winning as a player trained at the club has never been an easy task. The stars recruited with millions crossed the road to young Titis, even if some coaches tried to give them a chance. Symbol of this sacrificed generation, Mamadou Sakho, a pure product of the training center and younger captain in PSG history, left the club only two seasons after the start of the QSI era. Conversely, Presnel Kimpembe has established itself as the embodiment of the new Parisian titi: heir to the legendary number 3 of Sakho, launched in Ligue 1 in 2014 by Laurent Blanc against Lens, he played 241 games in the Paris jersey and raised the 2018 World Cup with the Blues. Emblematic figure of this success in the Parisian, “Presko” There remains the exception more than the rule. Between brilliant successes, broken quarries, disappearances of radars or rebounds in Ligue 1, what have become of old Parisian titis?
While Presnel Kimpembe, 30, recently farewell to the capital's club to join Qatar, some former titis have never managed to relaunch their careers after a loan, gradually disappearing from radars. Others, on the other hand, knew how to become holders, like Kimpembe before his serious Achilles tendon injury, or Alphonse Aréola, aligned 43 times in the 2017-2018 season under Unai Emery. Some already embody the future, such as Warren Zaïre-Emery who, at only 19, already has more than 130 appearances with Paris. And then there are those who touched the last consecration: mark in the Champions League final and win the first C1 in the history of the club with PSG. This is the case of Senny Mayulu, scorer against Inter Milan (5-0), registering his name forever in the history of the club.
When the Parisian dream breaks
Despite workforce often made up of stars, some titis have still managed to grab playing time, gradually asserting themselves as interesting liners. This is the case of Colin Dagba (27), regularly used by Thomas Tuchel and which totals 77 appearances in the Parisian jersey. In the same vein, Jean-Kévin Augustin (28), edinson Cavani lining during the 2016-2017 season, played nearly 30 games with PSG. But for many others, history has been written differently. Jean-Christophe Bahebeck, Antoine Bernède, Timothée Pembélé, Kays Ruiz, Hervin Ongenda, Odsonne Édouard, Stanley Nsoki or Adil Aouchiche have never really managed to win at the highest level and have taken more complicated paths. Ismaël Gharbi, capable of bullying on the left side, now evolves in Braga where he struggles to convince (4 goals in 38 games). Noah Lemina, 20, promising during the various summer tours, failed to confirm and finally engaged with Yverdon after unsuccessful passages in Annecy and Wolverhampton. Even eagerly awaited hopes like Édouard Michut, holder in the French Cup against Vannes, have lost the thread: he now plays at Fortuna Sittard, Eredivisie. All these courses illustrate how durably imposing themselves on PSG falls under the almost impossible mission.
Other players, such as Ilyes Housni, loaned to Le Havre, but remained silent in front of the goal, still have the future in front of them, provided that they are quickly getting lost on the way. Yoram Zague was loaned to Copenhagen for lack of still having the level to enter the plans of Luis Enrique, but he has already distinguished himself with a good start to the season (a titular match, 2 goals). For his part, Axel Tape has left PSG this summer to join Bayer Leverkusen, where he gradually grabs playing time. Central defense remains a sector on which Paris very rarely keeps its young shoots, as the competition is overwhelming with two internationals at each position. El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Tanguy Kouassi or Loïc Mbe Soh all experienced punctual playing time before leaving the club. Bitshiabu, impressive by its size and combativeness in the 2022-2023 season (16 games under Christophe Galtier), was transferred for 15 million euros to Leipzig, where he gradually asserted himself as a holder. Timothy Weah has chosen to continue the family inheritance by joining OM after a convincing passage to Juventus. Éric Dina-Ebimbe returned to Ligue 1, in Brest, after three solid seasons in the Bundesliga, while Yacine Adli took the direction of Saudi Arabia and Al-Shabab, despite an interesting experience in Serie A. Finally, Ethan Mbappé, Kylian's little brother, rebounded on the side of the LOSC last season, with in particular a remarkable tenure against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and his first goal this professional weekend against Toulouse.
When the ascent is built far from the capital
Even if many titis lose the thread of their careers after leaving their training club, some manage to bounce back and impose themselves even higher abroad. Arnaud Kalimuendo (23), who remained in Ligue 1 first with RC Lens and then Stade Rennais, finally took off towards England, in Nottingham Forest. His visit to France remains scored by 21 goals scored with Lens and 40 in the Rennes jersey. Alphonse Aréola (32), another emblematic figure of the Parisian training with more than 100 games played under the colors of PSG and 2018 world champion with the Blues, also flourishes in the Premier League, in West Ham, where he has already exceeded the 100 games mark. Mike Maignan, who left in 2015 in LOSC in 2015 to relaunch his career, then exploded at AC Milan, until becoming the number 1 goalkeeper of the French team. Xavi Simons (22), who had not been selected in Paris, confirmed all his potential during an impressive loan to the PSV (22 goals and 11 assists in 2022-2023), before signing definitively to Leipzig. Despite some injuries, he posted remarkable statistics (22 goals and 22 assists) and recently engaged with Tottenham, where he will now try to shine in the Premier League.
For his part, Kingsley Coman, 29, had left the residents of the Parc des Princes very early to join Juventus in 2014. Since then, he has built an exceptional record with a Serie A and nine Bundesliga to his credit, before recently joining Saudi Arabia. Moussa Diaby (26) followed a similar course: PSG party in 2019 for 15 million euros at Bayer Leverkusen, he scored 49 goals in 172 games, which opened the doors of the Premier League to Aston Villa in 2023. A year later, also gave in to Saudi sirens by signing in Al-Ittihad. Christopher Nkunku, repositioned by attacking after an exceptional 2021-2022 season in Leipzig (35 goals, 16 assists), had joined Chelsea, but the injuries slowed down. He revived in Serie A, on the side of AC Milan. As for Adrien Rabiot, another pure product of the training center, he continued his career in Juventus before joining the sworn Marseille enemy, then AC Milan. This talent leak could however belong to the past. A new generation seems to emerge with a different philosophy at PSG. Warren Zaïre-Emery, already an executive of the Parisian workforce at 19 with more than 130 games, or Senny Mayulu, decisive scorer in the C1 final, symbolize this turn. For them, everything seems possible: stay, impose themselves and write their story in Paris, a perspective that resonates like a new era for Parisian titis, with a Luis Enrique who likes to make young players play.
