Legacy Over Luxury: PSG’s New Sporting Approach – Recruitment Analysis

PSG often appear like a team poised to contend for the UEFA Champions League, yet they consistently fall short.

Whether its Karim Benzema scoring a hat-trick to knock them out, losing to Borussia Dortmund despite being favourites after beating them in the group stage, missing key opportunities in the UCL final against Bayern, failing to score a single goal against Bayern in the Round of 16, or the infamous 6-1 collapse against Barcelona, the club frequently looks like a leading contender for the trophy yet somehow always crumbles.

Over the years, PSG have signed several big-name players but have struggled to earn the same respect as other major clubs in the UCL.

The start of Luis Enrique’s tenure at PSG marks a fresh start: Kylian Mbappé is gone, Neymar is gone, and Lionel Messi left earlier as well.

Now is the time for players to blend together better and focus on chemistry rather than relying on a star player to carry them through.

This recruitment analysis will examine the players PSG has brought in, some key stats about them, and how they are being utilised at PSG.

With an average squad age of 24, they are one of the most promising young and talented squads that could finally bring the UCL trophy to Paris.

PSG Areas Of Improvement

PSG have faced numerous struggles, from attack to defence, and in 2023/24, they brought in several quality players to address these gaps.

While Marquinhos has been a solid centre-back, he never found an exceptional partnership with another defender.

Their full-backs, though promising young talents, are still developing into world-class players. 

PSG needed a new centre-back to complement Marquinhos, and that’s where Lucas Beraldo comes in.

The club had a busy transfer window, strengthening their squad across all areas. 

In defence, they added Lucas Hernández from Bayern Munich for €45m, bringing valuable experience to their backline.

They also signed young Brazilian talent Lucas Beraldo from São Paulo for €20m and signed experienced defender Milan Skriniar on a free transfer from Inter Milan.

PSG made significant upgrades in midfield. 

Kang-in Lee, a creative South Korean playmaker, joined from RCD Mallorca for €22m.

18-year-old defensive midfielder Gabriel Moscardo was signed from Corinthians for €20m.

João Neves came from Benfica for €60m, a player many clubs monitored.

The attack also underwent a major change. 

Randal Kolo Muani was a massive signing, arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt for €95m, and Gonçalo Ramos joined from Benfica. 

Those were the two key strikers they brought in.

Ousmane Dembélé arrived from FC Barcelona for €50m, and Bradley Barcola, another promising winger, came from Olympique Lyon for €45m

Marco Asensio joined on a free transfer from Real Madrid to complete the attacking rebuild.

The Idea Behind The Transfers

PSG’s approach shifted toward bringing in young, talented players with potential rather than relying on senior players with established experience, a strategy they had in the past with stars like Gianluigi Buffon, Edinson Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, and Georginio Wijnaldum.

The plan now was different: assemble a youthful squad that could grow together, build chemistry, and develop a style of play to excel to the next level.

And that’s exactly what they did. 

The club prioritised players with versatility, moving away from one-dimensional signings. 

They looked for players who could adapt to multiple roles and positions.

For example, Marco Asensio can play on either wing, as a false 9, or in the number 10 role. 

Ousmane Dembélé can operate on either flank, and Kang-in Lee can function as a winger or a midfielder.

Manuel Ugarte is flexible enough to fill any midfield role. 

Lucas Hernández can play as a fullback, a centreback in a two-defender system, or as part of a back three.

Their newest signing, João Neves, can slot into both the 6 and 8 roles, while his Portuguese teammate Vitinha, one of the world’s top midfielders, excelled in multiple roles in last season’s Champions League.

PSG abandoned the idea of signing ageing stars with hefty price tags and high wages. 

It was now time for youth to take over the club, which was exactly their direction.

For now, we will only look at the transfers since Luis Enrique.

PSG Defensive Players

Their defence, which had often lacked the calmness and composure needed to secure crucial victories, was the number one issue PSG needed to address.

They brought in key reinforcements to tackle this: Beraldo, Lucas Hernández, and Milan Skriniar. 

Beraldo is the youngster they want to develop into a star, and the other two were brought in for immediate results.

We wont focus on him here, with Skriniar on his way out.

Lucas Hernández Radar Chart Analysis

Based on his radar chart, Lucas Hernández stands out as a highly capable defender. 

His win percentage in aerial duels is solid at 79.6%, showcasing his ability to dominate aerial battles.

Additionally, his defens