This was the headline posted by Spanish publication Marca when Thomas Tuchel’s side signed the Schalke defender from the clutches of Barcelona.
Thilo Kehrer is another product in a long line of defenders who have flourished when given the opportunity in the Bundesliga.
The world-renowned Schalke academy has produced numerous talents over the years that have gone on to become world-class players.
Manuel Neuer, Mesut Özil, Leroy Sane, Max Meyer, and Leon Goretzka are just a few.
The German may not have ended up at Paris Saint-Germain, with the French club initially focusing on Jerome Boateng.
Eventually, they opted for Kehrer, keeping Boateng at Bayern Munich for one more season. Kehrer will have to compete with Presnel Kimpembe and Marquinhos for a starting spot alongside the experienced Thiago Silva.
His career originated with his move to Schalke in 2012, and he soon made his way into the under-19 squad.
He guided them to the under-19 Bundesliga title in 2014/15.
This opened up the doors to the first team, and he became a backup player to Benedikt Höwedes and Naldo.
Once he settled into the team, Kehrer’s ability was evident from the get-go.
Consistent performances impressed Europes elite, earning him a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
This analysis will utilize statistics to examine the strengths and qualities that the young German defender will bring to PSG.
Evolution Of PSG Playing Style
Thomas Tuchel has experimented with various systems since joining the Parisians in the summer.
The team lacks balance with an outrageous amount of attacking and defensive talent, but not enough midfielders.
Angel Di Maria has been a star performer for the Parisians throughout the season, but the presence of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe means Tuchel cant start all three players together.
Having used Di Maria as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3 and a winger in a 4-2-3-1, Tuchel has not been able to find the perfect solution all season without sacrificing one area of the pitch.
They usually employ a 4-3-3, which all of Tuchels predecessors have used.
Still, he needs to evolve the team by finding another solution to their long-standing problems that have plagued the teams progression in recent years.
Physical Specimen
One of Kehrer’s biggest capabilities is his versatility.
Naturally, he’s a centre-back, but is equally adept at playing right-back, having done so on many occasions for the German national team.
Having also played as a defensive midfielder, Kehrer’s versatility gives Thomas Tuchel an option to make numerous tactical changes to his starting XI.
Kehrer’s enthusiastic style of defending has seen him rush out, often trying to hurry opposition players into making mistakes by misplacing a pass or successfully tackling them.
While his role can be classified as a stopper, Kehrer’s speed and dynamism give him room to fill in any gaps left behind him by other players.
Coupled with great anticipatory
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