PSG’s ‘anti-Galáctico’ transfer plan for 2023: will they sell Mbappé and Neymar?

The end of “bling-bling” was a term used by Nasser Al Khelaïfi in August 2021 that established the final steps of the PSG galáctico project. The words, initially made irrelevant by the number of star players that the French team brought together, have become fact a year later. Messi is gone and Mbappé has put a huge question mark over his future, causing PSG to rethink their methods of spending money.

The striker’s decision, a totally unexpected occurrence at the beginning of June, has caused PSG to consider selling their star in the current summer market. In 2021, when the player told Al Khelaïfi that he wanted to go to Real Madrid, the president’s position was clear: Mbappé was not for sale and the involvement of both Qatar and France in the deal made everyone aware that he was untouchable.

Messi leaves after a difficult year in France

As it goes in football, those roles have been completely reversed this year, and PSG are no longer willing to put up with players at their club having more power than the managers. In April, Leo Messi traveled to Saudi Arabia without permission and the response was immediate from Luis Campos and Al Khelaïfi: the Argentine was suspended and had his salary cut for two weeks, a punishment that was lifted days later due to a video that the Argentine published on social networks in which he apologised to PSG. In the end, the club came out victorious and sent a hint to the rest of the squad.

Will PSG sell Neymar?

With Neymar, the story has been similar. PSG’s big mistake was giving him the option to choose when to renew: in 2022, just when the Parisian team leaked that he was on the market, the midfielder activated his unilateral two-year extension clause, until 2027, meaning he was tied to the French team for five more seasons.

However, Al Khelaïfi’s hands did not tremble with the Brazilian: despite his renewal, they were going to listen to offers to sell him and they even contemplated a loan without a purchase option, which amounted to €3.6 million gross per month in wages.

Is Mbappé going to Real Madrid?

The last episode concerns Kylian Mbappé. PSG, who did the impossible in renewing his deal only a year ago, giving him the keys to the project, signing a sports director who was a friend of the family, paying him more than any other European footballer, do not want to give in to more pressure and are now considering selling him.

The club have not wanted to downplay the matter, either. The striker has already stated that he will not take up the renewal clause that he must activate before July 31 to remain with the club until at least 2025. The chess game has begun with a board in which the king, Mbappé, has a chance of being knocked off the French capital.