Although FC Barcelona ended up losing, the tie between the Catalans and Paris Saint Germain was a highly exciting affair from the very start, not only because of the two teams contesting on the pitch, but more so because of the rivalry between the two clubs that has arisen in the last few years.
However, even after the conclusion of this tie, the two clubs are going to remain in association with one another over the coming months as reports indicate that the Parisians are looking to swoop one of the biggest stars in the Barcelona squad, Lamine Yamal.
While it seems highly difficult for PSG to pull this transfer off, Mundo Deportivo has identified five reasons why Luis Campos, the Sporting Director at PSG, wants to pursue the winger.
Firstly, Kylian Mbappe’s departure from PSG means the French side will have to go into the market to get another star replacement, and the Parisians are fully convinced about the 16-year-old’s quality after his displays against Napoli and Real Madrid, as well as against themselves in the first leg of the UCL quarter-finals.
Secondly, the Parisians believe that they will be able to get the player for around €200 million, and this is not a sum that scares the French club. Sergio Ramos, Neymar, Messi, and Veratti have all left the club, while Mbappe’s departure this summer will mean another significant burden being taken off from their salary budget. Thus, they can easily offer him wages higher than what the Catalans are offering.
Another factor that makes the Parisians optimistic about this operation is the improved relations between the Presidents of the two entities. Although they still oppose one another on topics like the European Super League, they have already ironed out some of their previous differences.
Although there have been no reasons provided, the report mentions that PSG believe Lamine Yamal can actually ask Barcelona for a transfer, even though the youngster has stated his desire to succeed at the Catalan club several times in the past.
Lastly, Jorge Mendes, who represents several players in both PSG and Barcelona, has a very good relationship with Luis Campos, and can thus play a part in making this transfer a reality in the coming summer.
