Report: Christophe Galtier Fired by PSG After Winning Title amid Lionel Messi Exit

Paris Saint-Germain sacked manager Christophe Galtier on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Julien Laurens.

The move doesn't come as a surprise on the heels of PSG's disappointing 2022-23 season.

The club once again failed to capture the UEFA Champions League trophy it covets, losing to Bayern Munich in the round of 16. Winning a ninth Ligue 1 title in 11 seasons provided little comfort as just one point separated the champion from runner-up Lens.

The hiring of Galtier was seen as a signal of a wider shift within Paris Saint-Germain.

The Frenchman guided Lille to the Ligue 1 title in 2020-21 but wasn't considered a flashy name. He was supposed to make PSG a more cohesive side and one that didn't lean so much on individual brilliance.

Early on, it looked like Galtier was a shrewd choice. Paris Saint-Germain racked up 13 wins and two draws through its first 15 Ligue 1 matches heading into the World Cup break in November.

After play resumed following the World Cup, however, PSG lacked the sharpness it displayed in previous months. In February alone, the Parisians were dumped out of the Coupe de France by Marseille and suffered a 1-0 home loss to Bayern in the Champions League.

Once the UCL elimination was confirmed on March 8, there was probably little Galtier could do to buy himself another season at the club.

As Laurens explained in April, the 56-year-old was simply failing to achieve what he was hired to do:

"This is a team with no cohesion, no connection between players, no patterns of play, no movement and no desire.  They will still win games because they have the individual talent to make a difference, but that's it. If you look at Lens, Marseille or Reims, just to name three, the contrast with PSG is dramatic."

Granted, these problems have spanned multiple managerial regimes, so Galtier wasn't alone in that respect.

Whoever takes over next will also have to deal with an increasingly fragmented fanbase. On one side, you have the more casual supporters who are drawn to the numerous stars on the squad. On the other, the diehards have come to believe PSG has lost its identity in service of building a worldwide brand.

According to Laurens, Paris Saint-Germain has already identified former RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann as its preferred target. Nagelsmann would look to hire legendary French striker Thierry Henry as his assistant as well.

Perhaps Nagelsmann's tactical nous and the authority Henry commands from his playing experience would provide the perfect combination for PSG.