3 PSG Youngsters Who Deserve to See Regular Playing Time in 2015/16
Paris Saint-Germain sit atop the Ligue 1 table after nine weeks and look set to win their fourth consecutive title, but domestic dominance is far from the end goal.
Champions League glory is what they need and desire, and by signing some of the biggest names in club football, PSG's Qatari owners hope to lead the club to elite status.
But sometimes the pursuit of success causes youth development to get pushed to the back burner and talent ends up forgotten.
Over the past few seasons, PSG have seen a number of potential talents leave the club due to a lack of playing time. They also have a few players out on loan, and you have to question whether they will ever be regarded as starters for the club.
Jean-Christophe Bahebeck is spending his third loan spell away from the French capital. Alphonse Areola is similarly at Villarreal on his third loan spell.
Others, like Jordan Ikoko, Youssouf Sabaly and Romain Habran, have had to leave on loan to find opportunities to help them develop further.
Kingsley Coman, currently a starter for Bayern Munich, left PSG because he couldn't see himself gaining a first-team place. In order to make sure that doesn’t happen again, PSG need to make sure they provide their current young stars with regular minutes, to try and keep them happy at the club.
Here are three PSG youngsters who deserve regular playing time in 2015/16.
Serge Aurier
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To fans who spend a lot of time watching Ligue 1, Serge Aurier is a name that needs no introduction. Ever since he broke through at RC Lens in 2010, the right-back has impressed at all levels.
Last summer, he shone for the Ivory Coast at the 2014 World Cup, and on his return, he signed a deal that saw him move from Toulouse to PSG on a season-long loan with an option to buy.
After 12 starts and five assists in the league, the defender did enough to convince the club to seal the £7.2 million deal, via Sky Sports, that will keep him at the club until 2019.
Since signing permanently, the full-back has begun to really show what he is capable of in the French capital. In eight starts, he has scored twice, including opening the scoring against Shakhtar Donetsk, and has also provided one assist.
Gregory van der Wiel is Aurier’s competition for a first-team spot, and so far, the 22-year-old has done enough to show he deserves the starting berth. He is as able going forward as the Dutchman on his best day, but he also looks much stronger defensively than his team-mate.
Strong, quick, excellent in the air, Aurier is more than competent on both sides of the game. There are still areas where he can improve, especially when it comes to diving in and leaving his feet. He rushes into tackles too often and can end up making reckless fouls.
But improvement in that aspect of the game will come with time. Aurier has done more than enough to warrant a start in most games. Blanc will rotate due to the amount of games the club has ahead of them, but when the big games come around, Aurier should start.
Layvin Kurzawa
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Back in 2011, as a promising teenager, Layvin Kurzawa played five games as AS Monaco suffered relegation to Ligue 2. By the time the club fought their way back to the top flight, the left-back was one of the team's brightest prospects.
Over the last two seasons, while Monaco signed some of Europe’s best players, the defender was catching the eye with his marauding runs up and down the wing. After playing a more forward role as a young kid, you can see the attacking instincts still constitute a huge part of his game.
Last season, he made his full international debut for France, but injuries and poor form saw Kurzawa’s stock take a small dip. However, it was not enough to stop PSG from making a move near the end of the summer transfer window.
With the 2016 European Championships to come this summer, anyone looking to win a place in Didier Deschamps squad needs to be playing regularly. Lucas Digne has left PSG to join AS Roma on loan due to the amount of playing time he was receiving behind Brazilian veteran Maxwell.
Unlike Aurier on the opposite flank, Kurzawa will be harder pushed to win a regular starting spot this season. Maxwell isn’t getting any younger, but his performances have deserved the minutes. However, Kurzawa needs to take any opportunity that is handed to him.
Blanc and PSG can’t afford to make the same mistakes they made with Digne. Kurzawa needs to be given enough minutes to not only keep him happy, but allow him to blossom and grow comfortable within the squad.
He needs to be allowed to play in some of the club's biggest games. It will show just how talented a player he can be and allow for an easier transition when Maxwell finally ends his time in Paris.
Marquinhos
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It seems harsh to say, but this could be a make-or-break season for Marquinhos at PSG. Although he is still only 21 years old, his decisions over the next few years will determine whether or not he makes it to the pinnacle of the game.
In his third season with the Parisians, Marquinhos is at a crucial stage of his development. He has proved time and time again that he is good enough to command a starting spot on the French club, yet still he struggles to log significant minutes.
In the last two campaigns, Marquinhos has started 37 games, coming off the bench eight times. Last year, after they paid £50 million for him, the younger Brazilian was pushed behind David Luiz in the pecking order.
After shelling out a huge amount of money for Luiz, it was natural that he would start more games than Marquinhos, but it doesn’t mean the defence has become any stronger.
Last season, when the younger defender played, he helped his team earn 11 clean sheets in the league. That’s the same number as Luiz, who played 419 more minutes.
Plenty of clubs have shown interest in Marquinhos' services, and if he is not able to push into PSG's starting lineup by the end of the campaign, he might be tempted to look elsewhere this summer.
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