How PSG Can Get the Best out of Lucas Moura in 2016/17

Lucas Moura, regardless of how his career goes over the next 10 years, will likely forever remain a mystery to fans of Paris Saint-Germain.

The Brazilian winger offers so much potential and excitement, but his failure to effectively progress into an established and important member of the starting XI has mostly disappointed since arriving in the French capital.

"My dream is to stay my whole career at PSG, win many titles, then back to Sao Paulo,” he told Canal+ (h/t Goal.com).

Although the club has won the Ligue 1 title every year since he joined, it was only perhaps in his first full season, when he added 11 assists, when he played a crucial role in their success.

Sadly, his performances seem to have plateaued since the 2013/14 campaign. One of Unai Emery's biggest challenges next season, once he is confirmed as the new head coach, is to try to find a way of getting the very best out of the Moura.

The Brazilian's career at PSG has come to the stage where you believe that the club could be tempted to let him go if an appropriate offer came their way this summer. However, if Emery fancies the former Sao Paolo man, he could have a future at the Parc des Princes.

Ever since he joined for £44 million in 2012, the winger has never quite been able to live up to the huge fee the Parisians paid to the Brazilian side.

PSG are blessed with several talented players in the same position, as Angel Di Maria and Javier Pastore play a similar role to Lucas. There is also a chance that the club will go out and spend money on another attacker.

One of the linked players is his international team mate, Neymar, with PSG reportedly willing to match his release clause with Barcelona, per Gianluca Di Marzio (h/t Get French Football News). That's something that would apparently please the 23-year-old.

"To have a great player like Neymar at PSG would be a great honour,” he told Goal.com.

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He's a phenomenal player and to have great player is a great thing for the team. But it will be difficult for him to leave Barcelona.

We speak sometimes. We're friends and he's a normal person. He's always happy, smiling and making jokes. On the field he's sensational.

"

Some would see the Brazilian duo as an exciting partnership; even Lucas couldn't help but think of the benefits of having his friend join him in Paris.

"I think it would be really interesting, it could be a really good combination," he explained. "PSG always wants to grow, so the future depends on many things."

In truth, any move for someone like Neymar would all but put an end to his chances of becoming a regular starter at the Parc des Princes.

Laurent Blanc found it difficult to find minutes for Di Maria, Pastore and Lucas. Trying to accommodate a fourth player would be near impossible, however, under Emery, there could be more opportunities for natural wingers.

This season, Lucas finished with nine goals and five assists, meaning he created more goals than anyone else at Sevilla under Emery in La Liga.

In the Spanish coach's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, he tends to favour attacking down the channels, hoping they can provide ammunition to the centre-forward. That's one thing that Lucas has done during his time in France.

The system helped Kevin Gameiro score 16 goals for Sevilla, and if Emery could engage Lucas, bring the best out of him, he has the potential to help Edinson Cavani score over 20 goals in Ligue 1. The potential is there, it has always been there, but the problem is trying to push him to the next level.

In three-and-a-half seasons, the Brazilian has contributed 23 assists in Ligue 1. It works out at one assist in just over every three games.

For a winger in any other team, that would be acceptable. For a club like PSG, with Di Maria logging 18 in his first campaign, there is still that feeling of wanting more.

Another problem comes in the Champions League. In 31 appearances, Lucas has just four assists in Europe's elite competition. That's one per season. There's been no sign of progress, making it difficult to put any trust in the Brazilian to help PSG make it any further in the competition.

A change in formation would undoubtedly help the winger. Lucas would be able to play in any of the three positions along the front line, perhaps even blossoming in the role behind the striker. It would give him room to create, picking the ball up in pockets of space and handing him the freedom to become a more dangerous opponent.

No matter what Emery does, the majority of the pressure has to land at Lucas' feet. Blanc's words from December, via ESPN FC, are still echoing true.

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We all want to play but when you're on the pitch, I can tell you, you have to be good. It happens that you can mess up a match -- we know that too.

But if you look at Lucas' stats, he's played a lot of matches. You [the media] say he's not playing but I can tell you that he's played a lot of matches from the start.

He's a guy who we need to help and we will help him like I do with everyone. But we also have to face up to reality too. That's our role as well.

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It’s easy to forget that he is still only 23 years old, but you have to think that time is running out for him to make a positive impact in Paris.

Every player has a value, and if Lucas continues to disappoint, PSG would be more and more willing to part ways. One last season, with a new manager, new tactics and new philosophy, could be exactly what he needs to finally progress.

His career might now stall until he moves away from the capital, but after seeing what Emery achieved with Yevhen Konoplyanka, Vitolo and Michael Krohn-Dehli at Sevilla, you would love to see the Brazilian finally flourish under the bright lights of the Eiffel Tower.