Why Gregory Van Der Wiel Has the Most to Prove to PSG in Final Weeks of Season

With just weeks to go until the end of the season, Paris Saint-Germain’s Gregory van der Wiel finds himself fighting for his future in the French capital.

Having been a regular in Laurent Blanc’s starting XI since the beginning of the season, the Dutch international now finds himself on the fringes at the worst possible time.

As recently as early March, Van der Wiel’s agent Mino Raiola was telling RMC Radio (h/t GFN France) that an agreement on a contract extension had not yet been reached but that talks were still ongoing.

However, those discussions now appear to have ground to a halt, with the player suggesting to Foot365 (h/t ESPN FC’s Ian Holyman) after PSG’s 2-2 draw away at Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League that he was considering his future.

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Since Van der Wiel hinted he might be considering a Parc des Princes exit this summer, rumours have started to surface linking Les Parisiens with Barcelona’s Dani Alves. The Brazilian’s agent Dinorah Santana then added fuel to those flames by revealing to Mundo Deportivo (h/t HITC’s Thomas Conn) that negotiations with PSG were underway in Paris.

With the defending French champions already obliged to turn Serge Aurier’s current loan deal into a permanent one this summer, it appears that Van der Wiel might not be in the capital outfit’s plans for the future after this season.

Still in the hunt for glory on all four fronts, the 27-year-old has to make every opportunity that he gets count between now and the end of the campaign. The longer PSG stay alive across all competitions, the more games the Dutchman will likely get to play in.

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One of the main reasons for Van der Wiel’s failure to hold on to his place in the starting XI is that he has provided fewer good crosses than he did last year.

The Netherlands international star’s pace regularly got him into excellent positions on the right and his deep crosses provided seven goals domestically and in Europe last season. This campaign, he has just four assists in all competitions and has been less of a threat going forward.

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Marquinhos’ emergence as an indispensable member of Blanc’s starting XI has also impacted upon Van der Wiel’s now under-threat position in the squad.

It was the Brazilian’s selection at right-back for the second leg of the Chelsea clash that led the PSG No. 23 to reveal that he is now considering his future in Paris, and it is the young South American who is now consistently keeping him out of the team.

If he is not playing in central defence, Marquinhos is now lining up at right-back and has generally been a more reliable full-back than Van der Wiel when selected ahead of him. Although far less of an attacking threat, the Selecao star brings greater balance to the back line and helps to create an all-Brazilian back four on occasions.

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Although it is not his natural position and the player probably does not want to spend the foreseeable future playing out of position for PSG, Marquinhos is an indispensable member of the starting XI in either role, and this makes it difficult to see Van der Wiel winning his place back for good.

Something else that counts against the Dutchman is his nasty habit of gifting goals. On more than one occasion this season, Van der Wiel has been at fault in handing opponents opportunities to get themselves back into games with clumsy pieces of play.

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In the 4-2 defeat away at SC Bastia back in January, it was the Oranje star who gave away the penalty that brought the Corsicans back from 2-0 down and handed them a way back into the game when they had looked dead and buried after 20 minutes.

Van der Wiel then followed that penalty up with an own goal in a flattering 4-2 win over Evian Thonon Gaillard at home, a game that could easily have been a nightmare 2-2 draw without two late goals.

Although his position at the club is not beyond salvation, Van der Wiel is no longer a fixture in the starting XI and is likely to only see his playing time decrease next season. Assuming all players are fit, Marquinhos will start more games at right-back than the Dutchman.

If PSG are prepared to lose the Netherlands international, then it makes sense to let him go this summer and to earn at least a small fee for his services. However, if Van der Wiel is determined to fight for his place in Blanc’s plans, then that is not beyond him between now and the end of the season.

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Even if the former Ajax Amsterdam man does do enough to impress in the remaining fixtures this campaign, there is no guarantee that he will be a long-term part of PSG’s thinking.

Van der Wiel is a good right-back but by no means one of the world’s best.

Because of that, his position will be under constant scrutiny as long as he remains at Parc des Princes, and even a good run of late-season form might not be enough to save his PSG future if the right target becomes available.

*Ligue 1 assists statistics come via Ligue1.com and Champions League figures come via UEFA.com.