Paris Saint-Germain: A Dream Final Week of the January Transfer Window

Paris Saint-Germain’s 1-0 win over Saint-Etienne on Sunday saw them climb above Les Verts and level on points with Olympique de Marseille. It has been far from a dream season for Les Parisiens—but it would be hard for league-leaders Olympique Lyonnais to keep up if Laurent Blanc and PSG were granted all their transfer wishes before next week’s deadline.

In truth, the reality of the next seven days will be fairly quiet in the French capital. The Financial Fair Play sanctions handed out by UEFA this summer would make any January transfers near impossible, as reported by Jonathan Johnson on ESPN FC.

Movement in January would depend on players leaving Paris, but that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from linking players to the Ligue 1 champions, as a glance at this week’s transfer tracker shows.

Liverpool’s interest in Ezequiel Lavezzi, per the Express (h/t The Telegraph), could get the wheels in motion, but it wouldn’t help PSG land someone like Paul Pogba at Juventus or Palermo’s Paulo Dybala.

Pogba has constantly been linked with a move back to France, per Tom Sheen in The Independent, with PSG the only side in his homeland that could potentially afford such a move. Over the past few weeks it seems as if the France international has stepped his game up to the next level.

His ability to drive the game forward and create havoc both inside and outside the opposition penalty area would be a dream addition for the PSG midfield. WhoScored.com ranks him as the best performing player in Serie A, and who wouldn’t want a player capable of the type of footwork we saw against Chievo.

Unveiling Pogba under the Arc de Triomphe would certainly be the dream start to the final week of the transfer window.

The next position Blanc would need to address is the need for a midfield playmaker, with Tottenham Hotspurs’ Christian Eriksen already on the PSG coach’s radar, per Tom Collomosse of the London Evening Standard.

“Ajax have always had players I’ve liked enormously, some of whom have left. One of those is Eriksen, who now plays for Tottenham.”

After joining Spurs in 2013, Eriksen is under contract in north London until 2018, but it would be a huge statement of intent if Blanc were able to land his man in January.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

He may only have one assist in the Premier League this season, but according to WhoScored.com, the 22-year-old is averaging 2.4 key passes per game. This season, Lucas Moura leads PSG with only 1.4.

With Eriksen delivering those passes to Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani, he'd be guaranteed to have more than the one assist he has for Spurs this season.

Before Blanc wakes up from this perfect dream, he is also able to solve current issues within the squad. With Lavezzi gone, Cavani decides he wants to stay and finish his career in Paris, understanding that Ibrahimovic can’t play forever.

Recently linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, via Hannah Duncan of the Metro, Adrien Rabiot’s future has been up in the air this month. However, Blanc, who said this week that he wants to keep the 19-year-old midfielder, finally gets his wish.

Michel Euler/Associated Press

Rabiot’s mother, Veronique, decides that the best place for her son to develop his game is at the Parisian club, learning from fellow countryman Pogba and Italian Marco Verratti. Rabiot goes on to become a future Ballon d’Or winner, taking the 2020 crown from teammate Pogba.

With their new signings having joined the club too late to feature in PSG’s Coupe de la Ligue semi-final against Lille, they are beaten 3-0 by the northerners at the sold-out Stade Pierre Mauroy.

Pogba and Eriksen are named in the starting lineup for the away trip at the Stade de Gerland to face current league-leaders Lyon.

Two debut goals for Pogba, plus a late Cavani goal, set-up after a mazy run from Eriksen, give PSG a crucial 3-1 win. Blanc’s side finally live up to their potential and the vital away win inspire them to their third consecutive Ligue 1 crown.