2 Players PSG Should Target from Euro 2016

With each international tournament, clubs are becoming more cautious about signing players on the back of their performances over such a short period of time.

That being said, it doesn’t mean that players who impress can’t be worth pursuing. Paris Saint-Germain—now that they have confirmed the appointment of Unai Emery—have already moved to secure a couple of new names this summer.

They are not the only team to have secured signatures, with a number of players either moving or ruling out transfers before the start of the 2016 UEFA European Championships.

When picking out potential targets from the tournament in France, Antoine Griezmann would have been an obvious candidate. However, after signing a new contract at Atletico Madrid—extending his tenure until 2021, per Sky Sports—he's effectively ruled out a possible move.

Before the start of the transfer window, there were only a handful of positions that PSG needed to strengthen, and Emery began addressing that with the signing of Grzegorz Krychowiak from Sevilla.

His fantastic performances at Euro 2016 were crucial in Poland reaching the quarter-finals, and only a stale second-half against Portugal stopped them from setting up an unlikely meeting with Wales in Lyon.

It was Krychowiak’s control and reading of the game in midfield that provided his country with a platform to build their attacks. He would have been an obvious player to include in this list, but Emery pounced to conclude the deal as soon as Poland were eliminated. It's a signing that adds quality and depth to the midfield area.

One area that doesn’t need addressing is the PSG defence. Alphonse Areola will challenge Kevin Trapp for the No. 1 jersey at the Parc des Princes, and the back line has depth in every position.

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According to France Football, Unai Emery is considering Alphonse Areola as PSG's first choice goalkeeper for the forthcoming season. #PSG

— 1970 PSG (@1970_PSG) July 4, 2016"

That’s why the signing of right-back Thomas Meunier from Club Brugge in Belgium doesn’t make much sense at the moment. Serge Aurier is expected to stay at the club despite his behavioural issues. The Ivorian will be the first choice in the position in the coming season, and in Youssouf Sabaly, the club already have an able replacement.

Sabaly has spent three seasons on loan in Ligue 1, excelling for Nantes during the last campaign. The French full-back, who is able to play on the opposite flank and still only 23 years old, would have been the perfect back-up to Aurier.

When you sign someone that will undoubtedly play as a substitute, it doesn’t improve the team. It may make the squad slightly stronger, but not by much. It definitely feels like a signing that was based on his performances for Belgium at the Euros rather than his five seasons at Club Brugge.

To make PSG a stronger force in the Champions League, they need improvements both on the left-wing and in the centre-forward position. Only then will they be in a position to go to the latter stages of the knockout rounds.

Vincent Janssen of AZ Alkmaar, as discussed previously in this column, would be a perfect addition, giving Edinson Cavani a challenge up top. However, one name that has been mentioned—despite already moving this summer—is Alvaro Morata, per L’Equipe (h/t TalkSport).

The new Real Madrid forward could still move to another team despite the Spanish giants activating their option on the former Juventus forward.

Spain may have lost to Italy in the round of 16, but Morata caught the eye with his ability to play as a versatile frontman. He is a natural centre-forward but has enough pace and skill on the ball to play down the flanks, too.

His intelligence, movement and presence with his back to goal would make him a great signing for Emery’s team. He has everything that the former Valencia coach might look for in a striker. PSG have always tried to emulate Barcelona’s short passing style, and Morata has the technique with the ball at his feet to bring others into play and lead the attack.

“Morata is still a young man and not even he is aware of just how good he is at times. He has the gift that only the top players have,” Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon told the Guardian's Sid Lowe, before Italy played Spain at Euro 2016.

“I told him, jokingly, that he had everything a striker needs if he could get over his mental hang-ups,” Buffon said. “I told him that if he stopped feeling sorry for himself he could be a match winner. I am pleased that is being proven to be the case. He is a young, intelligent man who listens.”

He finished the tournament with three goals, and although Spain may not have impressed, there was more than enough from Morata to suggest he could become a top-class striker at the Parc des Princes.

Far from an unknown quantity, one player that also caught the eye during this summer’s tournament is Eden Hazard. The Belgian winger’s form for Chelsea at the end of the season improved dramatically on what had come before, and he took that into the Euros.

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

A slow burner, he built up his form gradually before exploding with a tremendous showing in the 4-0 destruction of Hungary in Toulouse. He was drifting past defenders like they weren’t there and was at the heart of everything Marc Wilmots' side created.

"Yes. I had a lot of desire to win,” Hazard said, per the Evening Standard's Vaishali Bhardwaj, when asked if that was his best performance for his country.

He continued:

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We scored goals, created chances and Thibaut Courtois got his clean sheet, so it was a good evening. Maybe it was not the best opponent, but they were still a tough side to play against. It will be hard to improve on the performance as it was almost perfect. We played well.

I knew they were a team with a lot of quality who defended well. I knew we would have to be patient to score a goal.

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His stunning solo goal, something Ligue 1 fans saw for years on those pitches, had been missing from his recent Chelsea displays. Sadly, he couldn’t replicate that level against Wales, and the Diables Rouges made the short journey north back across the border.

If PSG want to try to sign a blockbuster name to play on the left of the attack, Eden Hazard would be the perfect addition.

The club would not be signing him based on his performances at the Euros but instead using those showings to build a case that the 25-year-old former Lille star is rediscovering his top level once again. Antonio Conte might not be able to find a place for Hazard in his 3-5-2 formation, which would open the door for Emery.

The change of scenery could be what Hazard needs to kickstart his career again and take his game to the next level.