After several weeks of negotiations, PSG finally announced the arrival of its first recruit of the summer. This is Matvey Safonov, a 25-year-old Russian goalkeeper. This signing may come as a surprise because first of all, we could say that it is not a priority position to strengthen for the capital club. Certainly Keylor Navas is leaving, just like Alexandre Letellier but the presence of Arnau Tenas, satisfactory during his 6 appearances, was undoubtedly enough to secure the position of number 2 behind Gigio Donnarumma.
Only the Italian has not sufficiently convinced Luis Enrique and the Parisian management, who wish to subject him to greater competition by putting the holder of the Russian national team in his hands. You will no doubt have understood that Safonov’s nationality is the other sensitive point of this issue. You are aware that Russia has been banned from the concert of nations since Vladimir Putin started the war in Ukraine in March 2022. However, bringing the goalkeeper of the selection to Paris is a major blow.
A nice blow for Russia
Safonov certainly has personal problems with his ex-wife. The latter is demanding unpaid alimony from him. His lawyer intends to bring the case before a French court. “We have sent a letter to PSG, he assures us, and we will seek fair decisions before the French courts”says Master Maksim Chilov, lawyer in Krasnodar of Anastasia Kazachek and contacted by The Team. A thorn in the goalkeeper’s side but this matter ends there.
This transfer goes far beyond the sporting framework. For Russian power, no obstacle has been put in place to derail the affair, quite the contrary in fact. Russia is delighted to see its number one goalkeeper land at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Putin makes soft power an essential weapon against the West and those he considers its enemies. This involves sport, a playground that the Russian president is particularly fond of, especially during a period when the international climate is particularly tense, even though France is an outspoken supporter of Ukraine.
