Tanguy Kouassi: Manchester City to make move for PSG star

PSG were forced last year to dip into their academy in order meet Financial Fair Play requirements and have since parted company with some of the brightest talent in their youth system, such as Diaby, Nkunku, N'soki, Zagre and Weah, which reaped 60 million euros for the Parc des Princes coffers.

As a result, many other players looking to make their mark in Paris have intimated they will leave if they are denied opportunities to break into the first team. One of those is highly rated 17-year-old midfielder Adil Aouchiche, who broke the record for goals scored in a single under-17 European Championship last summer when he plundered nine goals in five matches in the tournament in the Republic of Ireland as France reached semi-finals. Aouchiche is tipped to make the breakthrough sooner rather than later and PSG are currently trying to tie the midfielder down to a new contract.

However, PSG stand to lose more players from their academy as they seek to keep one step ahead of the FFP monitors and Manchester City have reportedly been watching Tanguy Kouassi, a 17-year-old central defender who also shone at the under-17 Euros and is viewed in Paris as a natural successor to Thiago Silva in the PSG back four.

Viewed as one of the most promising young defenders in France, Kouassi is yet to sign a professional contract at PSG, alerting City to the possibility of picking up a bargain as they suffer their own defensive issues having failed to adequately replace Vincent Kompany.

Thomas Tuchel has urged Kouassi to be patient and wait for his chance but the player is eager to play at the highest level and could be tempted by a move to a club that can offer first-team opportunities on a shorter timescale than PSG.