Nearly a decade since Qatar Sports Investments purchased Paris Saint-Germain with the promise of turning the middling French outfit into a global superpower, the club is at a crossroad.
The next few months will be vital for PSG and you can bet on their games at Matchbook. Not only are they seeking to return to the UEFA Champions League final after losing to FC Bayern Munich last September, but they need to convince two of the game’s brightest stars that Paris is where they should spend their foreseeable future.
Both Kylian Mbappé and Neymar Jr. are on contracts that expire in 2022. That essentially means that PSG has from now until the start of the 2021-22 season to sign them to an extension or risk losing them for absolutely nothing. Considering Mbappé is the brightest talent in the game and Neymar can still fetch a hefty price considering his ability and marketability, PSG can ill-afford to lose those two players for nothing in the age of COVID-19.
So, what is Leonardo, PSG’s sporting director, to do? He can’t force Mbappé and Neymar to extend their stay if they don’t want to. He still has time to work his magic and show them why Paris is the best option for them but as the clock winds down, he will have to make a tough decision: sell Mbappé and Neymar to the highest bidders next summer.
The initial shock of losing two players of their stature will sting at first and it will certainly be a setback for the team on the pitch. Quite frankly, it will mean PSG will be in rebuild mode, which isn’t necessarily the worst thing. Continue reading