Thursday morning, on the training ground of the PSG Campus, the players, Luis Enrique and his staff, as well as part of the dedicated first team personnel, had a meeting to say goodbye. This small event was not only reserved for Hugo Ekitike but also for Sara Viera, the club’s laundress for 30 years, who is retiring.
Ekitiké had already packed his bags since he was still present during Wednesday’s session. Shortly before 3pm, one of the two pariahs (along with Layvin Kurzawa) boarded the plane to Germany.
Moments earlier, Paris and Frankfurt had come to an agreement after tough negotiations for a loan with an almost obligatory purchase option, close to 30 million euros. Ekitike arrived at 4:30 pm, then underwent his medical examination and signed his contract before 6 pm. This marked the end of a long saga that began on August 9th, when the former Reims striker learned from Luis Campos that PSG no longer counted on him. Since the start of the season, he had not appeared in the Parisian squad for matches and had not played a minute.
The same treatment applies to Layvin Kurzawa, who will not leave this winter unless he accepts an offer from exotic countries where the market has not yet closed. The defender received interests that did not materialize and there is a strong chance of him staying until the end of his contract in June. In terms of departures, Noha Lemina has been loaned with a purchase option to Wolverhampton (1 million euros + % in resale) and Cher Ndour to Braga.
The other notable episode of this January concerns Nordi Mukiele. Little used by Luis Enrique, the French international would have liked to join Bayern Munich. However, negotiations between the two clubs did not materialize.
The bulk of the transfer window was played out before the start of January with the arrival of Brazilian left-back defender Lucas Beraldo (20 years old), who despite his inexperience, arrived from Sao Paulo for 20 million euros. He complements a sector weakened by the absences of Presnel Kimpembe, Milan Skriniar, and Nuno Mendes. While another more experienced player in defense was expected to arrive, the capital club ultimately maintained its confidence in the current group. A deliberate choice that will be judged soon enough as the Champions League round of 16 against Real Sociedad approaches (February 14th and March 5th).
In recent days, PSG decision-makers have long questioned the need to recruit a player. Luis Enrique would have wanted a defender with speed and quality in distributing the ball, but the few opportunities on the market led the club not to make any moves in the final hours. Luis Campos did make efforts for Lille’s Leny Yoro (18 years old), who joined agent Jorge Mendes, but Olivier Létang opposed his departure.
Paris will have to try again next summer, but the competition will be fierce as the Under-21 international is sought after by Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich. In midfield, PSG executives have bet on the Brazilian Gabriel Moscardo (18 years old). He was supposed to join the team in January but a problem with his left foot, detected during the medical examination, changed the plans, postponing his arrival until next summer, leaving Paris with the feeling of a very quiet transfer window.
