PSG power play thwarts Madrid

PARIS－Paris Saint-Germain got Lionel Messi but that has somehow turned out not to be the most remarkable moment of the transfer window for them.

There can hardly be a bigger statement from the Qatar-owned club than turning its nose up at an offer understood to be worth 180 million euros ($212m) from Real Madrid for Kylian Mbappe, with the France striker in the final year of his contract.

Madrid is understood to have made two bids for Mbappe last week－and there were reports on Tuesday it was prepared to go to 200 million euros－but PSG decided it would rather not sell, and risk losing the France forward for free at the end of the season.

"He is one of the best, one of the most important players in the world today and for him to be with us is a gift," said PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino on the weekend.

Rejecting the money is an extraordinary decision from a club which is not immune to the economic impact of the pandemic, with losses of 124.9 million euros in the curtailed 2019-20 campaign likely to be dwarfed when the accounts for last season are filed.

Mbappe will be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with Real, or anyone else, in January, and PSG will not be entitled to any fee.

Yet the Qataris have already shown that money is no object with their past purchases of Mbappe and Neymar, the latter for a world-record 222 million euros, in 2017.

When Messi became available a month ago, PSG pounced without worrying about the impact his salary might have on its finances.

Dream attack

Now PSG will keep Mbappe to complete a dream attacking lineup it hopes will deliver a first Champions League for the club and all the prestige that brings in the year Qatar hosts the World Cup.

The French giant also added Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Gini Wijnaldum and Achraf Hakimi in a remarkable recruitment drive.

On Tuesday it added Portuguese international Nuno Mendes on loan from Sporting Lisbon.

Rivals among Europe's traditional elite cry foul, but for now PSG cannot be stopped.

"State-owned clubs are as dangerous for football's ecosystem as the Super League was," tweeted La Liga president Javier Tebas.

"COVID losses of more than 300m (euros), TV revenue in France down 40 percent, and yet more than 500m (euros) in salaries? Unsustainable."

Financial Fair Play rules have been relaxed to help clubs absorb losses incurred during the pandemic. PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi wields enormous influence with his seat on the UEFA executive committee and his role as president of the European Club Association.

"We always follow the FFP regulations from day one that we started," Khelaifi said when asked about his club's financial position on the day Messi was unveiled.

Whether Mbappe extends his contract or leaves for free remains to be seen, but judging by his demeanor in scoring twice against Reims last weekend, he seems happy in Paris for now.

Madrid, meanwhile, made its intentions clear. Its focus now appears to be on securing Mbappe's signature for next season, by which time Karim Benzema will be 34, and Luka Modric will be nearly 37.

In the meantime the arrival of Mbappe's compatriot Eduardo Camavinga is an exciting one for Madrid fans.

Camavinga, like Mbappe, was in the final year of his contract at Rennes but Real paid a reported 31 million euros, plus 9 million more in bonuses, for the 18-year-old midfielder.

Having signed a six-year deal, he must be given time to fulfill his enormous potential.

Barca troubles

Madrid at least looks in far better shape than its great rival Barcelona, which was forced to let go of Messi as it drowns in debts of over a billion euros.

Barca's only signings this summer have been free agents Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia and Sergio Aguero.

On Tuesday, it was holding a fire sale of young players－Emerson Royal to Tottenham Hotspur, Ilaix Moriba to RB Leipzig－in a desperate attempt to raise funds.

And then it emerged it was prepared to allow Antoine Griezmann, who it needed to offload in order to keep Messi but couldn't, to return to Atletico Madrid on loan.

In comparison, Madrid missing out on Mbappe, if just for a year, looks like no big deal.

But PSG has undoubtedly won this transfer window, and can now target the Champions League.

AFP