A Fantasy XI of Players Linked with PSG in the Past 12 Months

Ever since Paris Saint-Germain were taken over by Qatar Sports Investments in 2012, they have been linked with big-money moves for nearly every player on the market.

As their ambitions to lift the Champions League have grown, so have the number of stories and rumours surrounding the club.

It is now to be expected, and whenever clubs like Manchester City, Bayern Munich or Real Madrid are linked to a player, you can be sure that PSG’s name won’t be far away.

As we go into the January transfer window, here is a fantasy XI of players linked with PSG in the past 12 months.

GK: Petr Cech

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Before the Parisians signed Kevin Trapp from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer, Chelsea’s Petr Cech was the name regularly linked with a move to the Parc des Princes, per the Mirror.

The former Rennes goalkeeper would have given PSG an instant presence between the posts, and looking at some of the blunders Trapp has made this season, it may have been a short-term solution, but it would have been worth it.

Before the match against Newcastle, Cech was presented with a framed photo to honour his Premier League clean sheet record. The 33-year-old broke the record when the Gunners beat Bournemouth 2-0 last Monday, taking his tally to 170.

RB: Dani Alves

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Over the last few seasons, barely a transfer window has passed without PSG being linked with a move for Barcelona’s Dani Alves.

Blanc had been looking for an upgrade on Gregory van der Wiel, who was the first-choice last season, and via Miles Chambers of Goal.com, the Brazilian was linked, but the PSG boss wasn’t convinced he would leave Spain.

It is a move that has worked out well for the Parisians. Serge Aurier signed a permanent deal with the club, and the Ivorian is enjoying an excellent campaign in the French capital.

CB: Branislav Ivanovic

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Although his form for Chelsea this season has left a lot to be desired, Branislav Ivanovic was a vital member of the squad as Jose Mourinho’s side lifted the Premier League trophy in 2015.

Back in March, via Tony Banks of the Daily Express, it was thought that Ivanovic was a top target for Blanc. It was felt that although the defender couldn’t provide the same attacking threat as Van der Wiel or Aurier, because he could play at right-back and centre-back, the Serbian would help strengthen the PSG back line regardless of where he played.

CB: Nicolas Otamendi

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At the end of last season, veteran Zoumana Camara called time on his career, with his last game coming in the 1-0 win over Auxerre in the Coupe de France final.

That meant that PSG were down to three centre-backs deemed fit to start for the club, with youngster Presnel Kimpembe the fourth choice.

It was always unlikely, in a squad that contained Thiago Silva, David Luiz and Marquinhos, that PSG would spend a lot of money on a centre-back, but it didn’t stop the club being linked with Nicolas Otamendi, per Superdeporte (via Naveen Ullal of the International Business Times), before he moved to Manchester City.

LB: Fabio Coentrao

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At the start of this season, there was a small game of left-back merry-go-round in Ligue 1. Real Madrid’s Fabio Coentrao was linked with a move to PSG by French reports in August, per Joe Short of the Daily Express, before the Portuguese defender joined AS Monaco on loan.

That move completed when PSG confirmed the signing of Layvin Kurzawa, with the French left-back joining the Ligue 1 champions from AS Monaco.

At 23 years old, Kurzawa is deemed as the long-term successor to Maxwell’s place as first-choice left-back.

CM: Paul Pogba

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It’s an easy story to write, who wouldn’t want Paul Pogba in the centre of their midfield? Born just 16 kilometres from Paris, with the capital’s club trying to keep a French core, it’s no surprise that the Juventus star was linked with a move to PSG last summer, per Mike Keegan of the Daily Mail.

There’s little doubt they will be continually linked to the 22-year-old until he finally moves away from Turin. He would be an amazing signing for PSG, for Ligue 1 and for France, but it would come at a huge price.

CM: Sergio Busquets

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At the start of August, according to Spanish newspaper Sport (via Inside Spanish Football) 27-year-old Sergio Busquets was firmly on Paris Saint-Germain’s radar.

It was believed that the Spain international was being lined up as a replacement for Thiago Motta, if the Italian midfielder left the French club.

Motta is still an integral part of PSG’s midfield and no move was made for Busquets, but he is a player who would instantly improve Blanc’s team.

CM: Toni Kroos

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Another name to be mentioned in the summer if Thiago Motta had left the French champions was Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos.

French newspaper Le Parisien (via Inside Spanish Football) linked the 25-year-old with a move to PSG. It was a move that needed to be taken with a pinch of salt. Kroos started 36 games for the Spanish giants last season, scoring twice and adding seven assists.

It would have taken a bid of monumental proportions to tempt Real into selling the German midfielder.

LW: Cristiano Ronaldo

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Regardless of what happens in the UEFA Champions League this season, PSG are looking to spend big again this summer. One name that won’t go away is that of Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

John Cross of The Mirror reported in November that the French champions would be willing to pay £250,000-a-week after tax to lure the Ballon d’Or winner to the Parc des Princes.

Despite turning 31 in February, it is believed that the French club see the Portuguese forward as the natural successor to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, if the Swede’s contract is left to run down this summer.

RW: Kevin De Bruyne

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Before he signed for Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne reportedly turned down moves to both PSG and Bayern Munich, per Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News.

The Manchester club ended up paying £54.5 million for the Belgian’s services, and there is little doubt that the 24-year-old would have added quality across the PSG front line.

Since arriving back in the Premier League, De Bruyne has scored five goals and set up another eight, plus an injury-time winning goal against Sevilla in the Champions League.

CF: Neymar

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It is clear that PSG are looking to sign another big name player over the next 12 months, another one linked to the club, according to Mundo Deportivo (via Joe Short of the Daily Express), was FC Barcelona’s Brazilian superstar, Neymar.

Part of the sensational MSN strike force (consisting of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar), Neymar scored 22 goals in 33 games in La Liga last season, following that up with 14 in 15 games this term.

The 23-year-old is untouchable at the moment, making any move to PSG unlikely, but he is the type of player the Parisians would love at the club.