Why Manchester United Transfer Target Marquinhos Will Not Leave PSG Anytime Soon

Since the start of this season, Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos has been one of the French champions’ best performers.

After a summer of uncertainty, where Spanish giants Barcelona tried hard to land the Brazilian defender according to the likes of The Guardian’s Paul Doyle, the 20-year-old was not allowed to leave Parc des Princes.

Christophe Ena/Associated Press

This campaign, Marquinhos has been one of coach Laurent Blanc’s most used players, and the Selecao star has made a strong case to be included in Le President’s starting XI on a more regular basis.

Since the start of 2015, the South American has started five matches in all competitions. PSG, less adept at keeping clean sheets this season than they were in previous campaigns, have all of a sudden kept four in those five games.

Per The Sun’s Antony Kastrinakis, Manchester United are trying to force through a £35 million move for Marquinhos before the transfer window closes. However, that bid is almost certain to be refused flatly, if it has been made at all.

"

Manchester United will table a bid of just shy of €50m for #PSG defender #Marquinhos, Telefoot report. Way below PSG's asking price. #MUFC

— Robin Bairner (@RBairner) February 1, 2015"

Even if that amount was proposed to PSG, Telefoot (h/t Robin Bairner’s tweet) claim that the French giants would reject it.

The Brazilian sensation is Les Parisiens’ present and future, and right now, Blanc is looking for a way to bring him into the first team on a more regular basis without removing one of captain Thiago Silva or fellow Brazilian David Luiz. Selling the promising starlet is the last thing that the club will want.

Some might raise the question of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play and suggest that PSG need to sell a player like Marquinhos in order to strengthen elsewhere. Those claims are nonsensical.

At present, the French capital outfit have four possible central defenders available to the French tactician in Silva, Luiz, Marquinhos and Zoumana Camara.

Bearing in mind that the latter is scheduled to retire from professional football at the end of this season, there are effectively only three central defenders in the club’s short- to medium-term thinking.

David Vincent/Associated Press

If anything, PSG need to bring in another defender to make sure that they have enough cover once Camara leaves.

On top of that, Marquinhos is extremely versatile. Although the Selecao star is a brilliant central defender, he is also a more-than-capable right-back and can also play in defensive midfield. In fact, the PSG No. 5 has been playing at right-back since the start of 2015 and has contributed to each of the team’s four shutouts this new year from that position.

Blanc may well have already found a solution to fitting Marquinhos into the same starting XI as Silva and Luiz, based on that recent improved defensive solidity. The likes of a Gregory van der Wiel could actually find himself with a greater chance of being sold by the French giants than the young Brazilian, who is currently excelling in his role.

Kin Cheung/Associated Press

If PSG were to sell Marquinhos, not only would it be difficult to find an adequate replacement in terms of skill, versatility and age, but tit would also be extremely difficult to find a reasonably priced player to target.

Every player has his price, but the reason the Ligue 1 title-holders’ asking value is exorbitant is because the player is essentially not for sale. Unless the offer is so astronomical that it demands serious thought, PSG will not even consider a sale, let alone sanction one.

While it is true that Marquinhos has spent some time on the bench this season, this is largely because of an injury that curtailed an excellent period of progress shortly after the impressive 3-2 UEFA Champions League win over Barcelona.

Had that not happened, the Brazilian might not have been removed from the PSG starting XI at all. Capable of playing alongside both Silva and Luiz, having formed solid partnerships with both of them, it will not be long until Marquinhos usurps one of them at club and international level.

Because of that, he is likely to already be considered one of PSG’s unsellable players by the club's hierarchy.