In the first of a new feature focusing on the summer's big spending sides from each of the top 5 divisions we look at the transfer activity at PSG as the French side look to improve on their 4th placed finish in Ligue 1 next season.
PSG were boosted by significant financial clout this summer, coming from the takeover of the club at the end of May by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), who bought a controlling 70% stake in the club after A subsidiary of the new ownership, Qatar Holding, had reportedly failed in a bid to takeover Premier League giant Manchester United.
With transfer fees far less of an issue for the Ligue 1 club since QIA's purchase, PSG are hoping that their spending power can buy them a place in the Champions League next season, along with the possibility of dethroning Lille as league champions.
This summer has seen the release of some of last season's ageing superstars, with the likes of Gregory Coupet, Claude Makelele and Ludovic Giuly all allowed to leave. The new owners have not dallied in replacing such players with younger, fresher blood and will be expecting a return from the considerable cash splashed having spent a figure speculated to be in the region of £25m on 3 new recruits already this summer.
Goalkeeping Gap
One area in which the club did not to spend in order to bring in quality was in the goalkeeping department. Veteran stopper Gregory Coupet retired last season at the age of 38, though he only played 15 games for Paris last term, with Armenian keeper Apoula Edel starting the remaining 23. However, the club felt the need to strengthen the competition for the number 1 jersey and did just that with the free transfer capture of Nicolas Douchez.
The 31-year-old was signed from rivals Rennes having started all but 1 of his side’s league games last term, helping them to a sixth placed finish. Rennes had the meanest defence in all of the league, backed up by Douchez behind them, conceding just 35 goals, 34 of which were let in by the new PSG man. The experienced stopper kept a magnificent league high of 16 clean sheets last term, drawing interest from home and abroad before eventually plumping for a switch to the French capital.
According to WhoScored.com's player characteristics both PSG keepers from last term were weak in saving shots from close range while Coupet's reflexes at his advancing age were called into question. Douchez's character profile shows that he is strong in both departments, adding that the Frenchman likes to come off his line in order to smother opportunities from close in.
Matuidi Replacing Makelele's Metal
Veteran French midfielder Claude Makelele was a mainstay in the PSG side since making the switch back home from Chelsea in 2008. The seasoned pro announced his decision to retire at the end of the season despite making 33 starts for the Europa League qualifiers last season at the age of 38.
The former France international shipped in with 1 assist from his anchor man position in the centre of midfield, picking up a pass success rate of 81% in the process. His defensive attributes were unsurprisingly his main asset to the side, making 2.2 tackles and 2.2 interceptions per game, committing 1.5 fouls per match to boot. In an attacking sense, Makelele provided just 0.2 shots per game along with 0.4 key passes and dribbles per match. Despite his age, the experienced midfielder was at the hub of PSG's play, averaging a team high of 50.8 passes per game.
To replace the 38-year-old the new owners have sought a player of the same ilk and identified tireless middle-man Blaise Matuidi as the ideal candidate. Having spent a reported initial fee of around £7m on the 24-year-old, PSG will be hoping the highly rated rated young workaholic will be able to fill Makelele's considerable void in the centre of the park and his stats show that he should not disappoint.
The former St.Ettiene man made 34 appearances from the start for his side last term, picking up 2 assists as well as a slightly advanced pass success rate to his predecessor with 83%. Matuidi also trumped the ageing Makelele in a defensive sense, making a fantastic team high of 3.8 tackles per game, as well as more interceptions with 2.4, though he did concede more fouls averaging 2.1 a match. Offensively he also offered more, attempting 0.7 shots per game, despite failing to score, as well as completing 0.9 key passes and successful dribbles a match. Although he made slightly fewer passes per game than Makelele with 48.8, Matuidi is not new to controlling the play for his side and made more than any other for St.Ettiene last season.
While WhoScored.com's character profiles confirm that neither player has any significant weaknesses, as well as both being adept at passing, Matuidi offers more strengths with tackling a real highlight to his game. His strength at through balls also matches in with WhoScored's team character of PSG being a side that are very strong at scoring from through ball situations.
Menez Homecoming Replacing Giuly Outgoing
35-year-old Frenchman Ludovic Giuly is another player leaving the club this summer having been a regular last season for PSG, starting 30 games. The winger has had an illustrious career including a spell at Barcelona along with 17 international caps but did not do enough to earn a new contract with the Paris club.
Giuly, now a free agent, was far from unhelpful in PSG's 4th place finish, chipping in with 4 goals and an impressive 8 assists from his 30 starts. A decent pass success rate of 77% was also backed up by a further 1.3 key passes per game, proving his ability has not left him. Playing from the right wing for the majority of the season he also attempted 1 shot per game; though his fading pace and trickery saw him complete just 0.4 dribbles a match. With much of the play going down PSG's left side with the outstanding Nene making 2.9 crosses per game, Giuly failed to emulate his teammates figures with just 0.8 deliveries and 0.6 long balls. His defensive contribution of 1 tackle and 0.8 interceptions per game was also below his Brazilian counterpart on the other wing.
In order to replace Giuly, PSG's new owners have taken a gamble on Roma's Jeremy Menez, bringing the Frenchman back to his homeland after a three-year spell in Italy. The 24-year-old made 23 starts for Roma last term and was deployed in a role in behind the striker for much of the season. However, with new club PSG he may be asked to fill Giuly's vacated right sided role having played on the wing 10 times last season. His new club may be safe in assuming his capabilities at playing in right-midfield after he struck his only 2 league goals of the season from that position in just 4 games, picking up a WhoScored.com rating of 7.32 from wide.
Despite these encouraging signs, Menez will need to improve upon his goal contribution if he is to live up to Giuly's standards having added just 2 assists to his 2 goals last term. His pass success rate of 83% was more impressive however, and he also provided slightly more key passes per game than Giuly with 1.4, meaning his low assists tally may well improve with PSG's more prolific front-line. He also tried more shots per game (1.3) and was successful with far more dribbles (2.1), a team high in fact, meaning that there may well be more balance in the side next season with Nene on the opposite flank. The Frenchman will undoubtedly need to attempt more crosses however, though his figure of 0.4 per game is highly affected by his central role for the most part. Menez also made a greater defensive contribution with 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game combined in comparison to Giuly's 1.8.
While WhoScored.com character profiles on the duo show that both are strong at holding onto the ball, Menez's dribbling is a real strength over his predecessor. Add to this his strong capabilities in passing and defensive contribution and PSG may have done good business in paying an initial fee in the region of £7.5m.
Forward Firepower
Perhaps PSG's standout signing thus far has been the capture of Lorient front man Kevin Gameiro. Having drawn interest from across Europe, including the likes of Arsenal, the young striker showed great faith in the club's rebuilding process to join and will add goals in abundance to Paris' attack. Having netted 22 league goals on his way to becoming Ligue 1's second top scorer last term, Gameiro's contribution of 48% of his side’s goals was only topped by Cisse of Freiburg in Europe's top 10 goalscorers.
He attempted 3.1 shots per game as well as picking up a highly impressive 79% pass success rate for a forward, along with 3 assists. Lorient's star man from last season proved he has more than just a clinical finish, making 1.6 key passes per game along with completing 1 dribble a match, proving PSG have invested in a real talent.
The Frenchman's new club's top strike pairing from last season scored 17 goals between them (5 fewer than Gameiro alone) in 60 starts (24 more than Gameiro). Guillaume Hoarau finished behind winger Nene as the side’s second top scorer with 9, while Mevlut Erding was one behind on 8. Hoarau attempted 2.5 shots per game to Erding's 2.1, meaning the latter's conversion rate is slightly better but neither match up to Gameiro's exceptional figures. Hoarau made a decent 1.3 key passes per game with Erding way behind on 0.7, while both were less adept at taking on defenders, completing just 0.4 dribbles per game each. Hoarau's superior goal contribution having made 6 assists to Erding's 1 should see the 27-year-old partner Gameiro next term.
A partnership between Hoarau and Gameiro is likely to be favoured with the former's strength in the air and tall frame counter-balancing the new £11m-man's weakness in this area. Gameiro's strength at through balls also fits into PSG's style, while his very strong ability to score with long shots also matches up to his new sides tendency to strike from range and shoot on sight.
One Up Front?
As well as having the possibility of a pairing between 2 of the 3 aforementioned strikers, the signing of Menez in particular may well suggest that the side are looking to add to their formational options. In a system with the former Roma man in an advanced wide right position with Brazilian Nene on the left, Gameiro could be deployed as a lone front man with Bodmer in the whole behind the striker and another new recruit in Matuidi holding the fort in a defensive midfield role alongside Clement Chantome, as below;
All in all PSG have taken big steps in replacing the old-heads that have left the club, but more importantly have strengthened their resources in attack and defence with signings that are likely to see them challenge for the Ligue 1 title next season, with more players also expected to join!
