Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, President of Paris Saint-Germain, spoke to Al-Kass Sports on Saturday. In particular, he explained how the mercato is decided at PSG, with coach Luis Enrique taking a very strong stance on player profiles.
Al-Khelaïfi “It’s forbidden for him, he doesn’t want to.”
“He’s the best coach to develop young players. He likes young players. For example, someone aged 28, buying a player aged 28 or 27, for him that’s no, impossible. It’s forbidden for him, he doesn’t want to do it.
He likes all players aged 21-22. Have you noticed the latest players we’ve recruited? The oldest is 23 or 24, no more. He likes a fighting spirit, he likes a player who gives everything, who runs a lot on the pitch, who is generous with his effort.
Al-Khelaïfi “There has to be an agreement.”
The process?
Luis Campos has to present to the coach, he has to see the players, their value, their price and other aspects. There has to be an agreement. Everyone has a role to play. When it comes to scouting, Luis Enrique, the coach, has to approve the player. He has to be convinced that the player fits into his future project. Then we, the management, also give our approval”, as relayed by ParisTeam.
Strong words, particularly clear on what Paris coach Luis Enrique is looking for in his squad and the role of each player in the mercato. Exceptions on age may be possible if a superb opportunity arises, but there’s plenty to sort through in the rumours. At least some leads are more likely than others.
Which already seemed pretty clear given the recruits since the summer of 2023. There’s a plan to build a very strong team, armed with a collective of players who have a career to write and not one behind them. This is in line with Luis Enrique’s qualities, which Al-Khelaïfi emphasizes as a way of helping players progress.
In any case, players don’t arrive in Paris by chance. You need the approval of each party: soccer advisor, coach and president. This seems quite sound, except that it is far from always being the case at clubs. PSG has already experienced the problem of a decision not being validated by the coach, for example, in previous years.
