PSG Must Give Marquinhos More Games or Risk Difficult Summer with Brazilian Star
The second half of this season will be pivotal in deciding the future of one of Paris Saint-Germain’s greatest young talents. Brazilian Marquinhos is still just 21 years old but is already considered one of the world’s most well-rounded and versatile defenders.
Although the former AS Roma youngster still has some way to go before he can be considered to be at the same level as the French champions’ captain and fellow Brazil international Thiago Silva, the PSG No. 5 is equally not that far away from being of a similar calibre.
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Marquinhos’ big problem at Parc des Princes right now is that he is currently third-choice in his preferred central-defensive role behind Silva and another compatriot, David Luiz, who form part of one of the strongest back lines in Europe in Laurent Blanc’s starting XI.
The Corinthians youth academy product has spent a sizeable amount of his time on the substitutes bench so far this season and, unsurprisingly, has been linked with a move away from the French capital this month.
Linked with the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea in the past, Marquinhos himself told Le Journal du Dimanche (h/t ESPN FC’s Mark Rodden) recently that he has no plans to leave Paris before the current transfer window closes.
However, the Selecao Brasileira star also admitted in that same interview that there will come a time when he wants more starting opportunities:
"Like everyone else, I'm always thinking about being included in the starting XI. But you have to respect the decision of the coach and the staff. I'll continue to work in order to get my place. But it's true that there will come a time where I will want more. You can't always get used to being on the bench. There are six months left [in the season] to win silverware and to try to become a starter. After that we'll see what happens.
"
Despite Marquinhos being an extremely accomplished defender for a player so young, it is also easy to see why Blanc has such a dilemma when choosing between the Brazilian and his two fellow internationals Silva and Luiz.
So far this season, the skipper has helped PSG to keep 18 clean sheets from 27 games across all competitions. His regular partner at the heart of the defence, Luiz, has contributed to 13 shutouts in 17 combined domestic and European appearances.
Although he has not enjoyed the same amount of playing time as his two senior positional rivals, with just 11 starts across all competitions, Marquinhos has still played a part in 10 clean sheets from 17 outings all told.
It is easy to see why Les Parisiens have been so hard to beat in both Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League so far this term.
Last season was different. Although PSG went on to enjoy an immensely successful season domestically and made another quarter-final appearance in the Champions League, the men from the capital suffered from numerous injuries, and Marquinhos was able to profit from it.
Crucially, Silva and Luiz are less injury-prone this campaign than they were last. However, their young protege has also steered clear of his physical problems, meaning that all three have been fit at the same time and at Blanc’s disposal more regularly than before.
With Silva and Luiz ahead of him in Blanc’s pecking order, Marquinhos has had to make do with appearances in a variety of utility positions this season, mainly defensive midfield in the latter stages of games.
The Brazil international featured occasionally at right-back last campaign, particularly in the bigger fixtures for defensive solidity, but the emergence of Serge Aurier has put an end to the possibility of that becoming more of a full-time position.
Moving forward into the second half of the term, the question is this: How can PSG accommodate him and keep him happy in the future?
The answer to Marquinhos’ long-term struggle for a place in the starting XI may well depend on Thiago Motta and the veteran Italian’s longevity in Paris.
At present, the 33-year-old is under contract until the end of next season, but it is possible that Blanc has to start considering how he'll replace Les Parisiens’ metronomic No. 8 sooner than that.
One option, and the one that would suit Marquinhos most, is that Luiz is moved out of central defence and into the deep-lying midfield role.
The former Chelsea man has proved dynamic when played there in the past, and with no obvious replacement obtainable on the transfer market, Le President may well have to accept that his current midfield will eventually need rejigging.
If Luiz does move into defensive midfield in the future, Marquinhos could slot in alongside Silva as one of the two regular starting central defenders.
Such a move would likely upset Adrien Rabiot, who is no doubt eyeing Motta’s role once the Italian abdicates, but it would make Marquinhos extremely happy, and PSG would secure the services of one of the best young defenders in world football for the foreseeable future.
Obviously, it is in the French giants’ best interests to keep hold of one of their best young players, but the Brazilian is also important because of his role as part of the capital club’s sizeable samba contingent.
Should Marquinhos leave, his departure would hit a few of those close to him—notably Lucas Moura—and take away a vibrant member of the dressing room and one of the supporters’ favourite players.
However, his departure would also likely strengthen a European rival, as the only clubs that will be capable of luring the South American away from Parc des Princes will be teams playing Champions League football.
PSG should not let this happen. As tight as the defence is at present with Silva marshalling an almost exclusively Brazilian back line, there is little doubt that Marquinhos will develop into one of the game’s leading centre-backs and could possibly usurp O Monstro in terms of greatness.
Silva is nowhere near done in the game yet, but at 31 years of age, he is not getting any younger either. Sooner or later, the Ligue 1 giants will need a replacement for the former AC Milan man, and in Marquinhos, they already have that successor.
One compromise that both parties might need to be willing to consider if the situation does not change by this summer is the possibility of a loan move away from PSG to somewhere that the 21-year-old will be a guaranteed starter.
However, such a move would require a new arrival to take his place, ultimately increasing the competition he will face when he returns to Parc des Princes.
In many ways, it is an enviable position for Blanc to be in with such talent at his disposal that a player of Marquinhos’ quality has to make do with a place on the bench. It is also a considerable headache for the French tactician, though, and it's difficult to keep such an ambitious character happy.
Considering how dominant PSG are in Ligue 1 at this moment, Le President perhaps needs to rotate his squad even more than he already has and regularly bench one of Silva or Luiz for one of the two games the team plays in an average week.
If Blanc cannot find a way to give Marquinhos greater playing time, then coach and club should not be surprised if the youngster asks for a move away in the summer.
