PSG Utility Players Who Need to Impress Luis Enrique Early
Luis Enrique's presence will put a lot of pressure on certain players within the PSG squad.
Things should finally start moving for Paris Saint-Germain this week now that we are into July, and Luis Enrique should be officially named head coach once Christophe Galtier’s compensation has been sorted out.
Bayern Munich’s Lucas Hernández is the latest player closing on a move to Parc des Princes, with Milan Škriniar, Marco Asensio, Manuel Ugarte, and Lee Kang-in lined up to arrive.
Luis Enrique has visited PSG’s new facilities recently and expects clarity on the French champions’ preseason structure very soon. The Spanish tactician’s arrival in Paris with a bolstered squad is good news in terms of moving away from an over-reliance on individual brilliance in recent years. However, it appears to be the end for some of the team’s utility figures who have filled in playing in positions different from their regular roles.
We look at some of those profiles and how Luis Enrique’s arrival could put them under pressure to perform immediately.
Renato Sanches
One of the players most under threat, regardless of Galtier’s replacement, was always going to be Renato Sanches. Injury prone and largely ineffectual whenever on the field, the Portugal international was one of the biggest disappointments of Luis Campos’ first transfer window with PSG. Still only 25, it feels like there is much more that the former Bayern Munich and Benfica man is capable on his day. Putting his injury problems behind him will be key, but Sanches arguably opted for the wrong move in joining Les Parisiens after his Lille OSC spell when the likes of Milan were interested instead, which might have been a more suitable environment. The idea was to have quality alternatives to the likes of Neymar Jr. and Marco Verratti in creative terms, yet Sanches was absent as much, if not more, than the pair, which meant that Galtier was unable to use him in the same way that he did with LOSC back in 2021 when Les Dogues were Ligue 1 winners.
Carlos Soler
Another similar story to Sanches is that of Carlos Soler, who has struggled to make any sort of impact since his arrival last summer. The Spain international scored a handful of goals but was an otherwise poor fit in the squad despite arriving as a potential masterstroke. Soler, like Sanches, hoped to bring an injection of creativity to the side in terms of having a potential backup No. 10 for Neymar or a creator in Verratti. However, the 26-year-old turned into little more than a utility player with little to no consistency in his positioning which led to spells out wide as well as in attacking midfield and central midfield, where he struggled to produce any real artistry. Luis Enrique knows and trusts Soler from their days with the Spain national team, which could offer him hope, but he will need to hit the ground running to remain in with a shout.
Danilo Pereira
Written off by previous managers before winning them over through determination, hard work, a professional attitude, and reliability on the field, Danilo Pereira risks having to do it all over again for what will be his fourth head coach since his 2020 arrival initially on loan. Now 31, the Portugal international is an important figure in terms of his experience but also his ability to step into central defense as well as play a defensive midfield role. With Hernandez, Skriniar, and Ugarte coming in to occupy those positions, though, PSG will suddenly be less reliant upon someone as selfless as Danilo, who often steps up to do the least enviable of tasks. Of course, there could still be a squad role for the former Porto man, but he might also fancy himself capable of one final move before turning 32 in September.
Nordi Mukiele
Unlucky to have been impacted by injury during his debut season, Nordi Mukiele was especially unfortunate in the UEFA Champions League round of 16-second leg exit to Bayern Munich, which featured an unwanted substituted 10-minute cameo appearance at Allianz Arena due to injury. At 25, the Frenchman still has plenty of time left and could become important to the team if Achraf Hakimi leaves. However, should the Morocco international stay, Mukiele is essentially a versatile backup option in either central defense, right back, or right wing-back. Much will also depend upon his recovery from surgery, which stepped up recently alongside Presnel Kimpembe at the new PSG training facility in Poissy.
Vitinha
The other player who could find himself out of the picture somewhat once Luis Enrique arrives is Vitinha, with Ugarte expected to command a starting role in the French capital immediately. Marco Verratti could yet be allowed to leave if a lucrative offer arrives, but it appears that there is no obvious starting role for the Portugal international. Luis Campos is building around a rough 3-4-3 blueprint which can sometimes switch to a 4-3-3 or perhaps look more like a 3-4-1-2 when there is a No. 10 like Neymar available. However, few signs point towards this being an easy coaching change for Vitinha to overcome after an underwhelming debut season which had promised much at the very beginning. Like compatriot Danilo, the 23-year-old could win favors through his versatility and good attitude, but there is unlikely to be room for too many utility men moving forward—they need to excel at something in serving the team as it enters into this new era.