Some very interesting comments from Paris Saint-Germain boss Laurent Blanc that the French champions are unlikely to make any signings in this transfer window due to UEFA’s financial fair play sanctions.
PSG, along with Premier League winners Manchester City, were punished when UEFA issued its first wave of FFP punishments last summer. And while Citu have somehow been able to sign Frank Lampard and Swansea striker Wilfried Bony, PSG have only brought in one player in the last two transfer windows and that was former Chelsea defender David Luiz.
“There are not a lot of clubs who want to let their players go, and there aren’t many clubs that can buy players because it’s also difficult financially,” Blanc explained.
“As for Paris Saint-Germain’s transfer window, you can see that we’re really hit by financial fair play and we cannot do what we want.
“We have to get used to it. Unless there’s a last-minute surprise, which could happen, it’s very likely we’ll continue with the squad we have.”
That means both Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani, who have been strongly linked with moves to Serie A and the Premier League respectively, will remain at the Parc des Princes until the summer.
Cavani has been unhappy with his position in Blanc’s preferred 4-3-3 formation, which has left him out on a flank while Zlatan Ibrahimovic plays in the central role. French media have made much of the duo’s apparent incompatibility, but Blanc said he remained convinced they could work effectively together.
“There is not one of them who has been held back by the other,” he said of the duo, who have 17 Ligue 1 goals between them so far this season.
“There is a player who likes space, Edinson, right across the front line. And when I see Ibra more at ease when he drops off, I say to myself that if their partnership was closer — given their qualities — it could be complementary, much more so than it has been since the start of their collaboration.
“They aren’t incompatible. There are improvements to be made on both sides, and they have to try and find each other more.”
