Paris Saint-Germain have again overpromised and under-delivered this season despite being on the way to another Ligue 1 title.
The French giants started the season with a transfer window that can only be described as a “Galacticos” move akin to Real Madrid in the early 2000s. Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum and Achraf Hakimi were all brought in to strengthen an already strong side.
After being kicked out of the domestic cup competition and losing disgracefully to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, the Ligue 1 title is the only hope of a trophy they have this season.
Recent performances in the league have also put that title in doubt, but barring a capitulation of titanic proportions, they have that in the bag already. The club also has the issue of dissatisfied players and a manager who is reportedly itching to be done with the season to leave Parc De Princes.
It remains to be seen what happens with the club at the end of the season and in light of that, here are the latest news on the issues surrounding the club’s players.
Thilo Kehrer prepares for PSG exit as Julian Draxler bemoans limited game time
Thilo Kehrer is another player who is most likely going to leave Parc De Princes in the summer to further pile pressure on PSG who will need to replace a lot of players in the summer.
Last week, it was reported that Hakimi has joined his fellow summer signings Wijnaldum and Messi in looking for a way out of the club in the summer. The club is also bound to lose Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid and possibly Neymar, whose form and body language at the club is currently rebellious.
The former Schalke 04 right-back has not really lived up to the transfer fee which PSG paid for him in 2018, however, and is now looking forward to his exit at the club.
Sky Sports reports that Kehrer will not renew his OSH contract which expires in 2023, as he hopes to leave on a free. But PSG do not want to lose him on a free and have put him on the market for a summer sale.
This could mean that PSG will lose their two main right-backs if Hakimi also cuts short his association with the club in the summer.
Meanwhile, Draxler gave an interview about how he has fated at PSG and it was gloomy. Signed from Schalke 04 as well, the 28-year-old has been a bit-part player for most of his career with the club.
This season, he has an average of only 35 total minutes in the 24 games he has played for the club. Draxler, who is currently on duty with the German national team, also admitted that he is considering an exit from the club at the end of the season.
Draxler, who is hoping to remain in the German squad dynamics for the 2022 World Cup, said after playing the full 90 minutes for Germany in their Thursday friendly win over Israel: “I am happy to have played 90 minutes for the first time in a long time. I am still convinced that I have the quality for this team.
“My situation at the club is not easy. I lack rhythm.”
Draxler then went on to talk about his chat with Germany manager Hans-Dieter Flick and how important it is he plays at his club to stay in the manager’s World Cup plans.
“I haven’t spoken to the coach personally, but he has already told us, as a team, that he needs players who are fit, who are in the rhythm,” said Draxler. “I need to play more games [at my club] for the World Cup. We’ll see what happens this summer.”
