3 Big Names Who Could Ignite PSG's Champions League Quest

After Paris Saint-Germain's initial foray into the transfer market, things have calmed down in the French capital as PSG continue their pre-season preparations.

Once installed, new coach Unai Emery filled a lot of holes in the squad with the signings of Grzegorz Krychowiak, Hatem Ben Arfa and Thomas Meunier. However, there are a number of spaces in the squad that need to be filled, especially if they want to make an assault on the Champions League.

One move they did make was the appointment of Patrick Kluivert as director of football. The former Ajax, Newcastle United and Lille forward was excited to get started in his new role.

"I'm extremely honoured to join a top European club like Paris Saint-Germain to take on important responsibilities there as director of football," Kluivert said in a club statement, via the Press Association (h/t ESPN FC). "From today, I intend to carry out this role with a lot of ambition and rigour."

His first job this summer will be to attract the type of players that will not only improve Emery’s squad, but turn them into a club that can challenge Europe’s elite.

"We're all in Paris to reach very high goals set by the club—objectives that correspond to the expectations of the players and the supporters.”

To achieve those goals, they could need at least two or three top-quality signings. Here are three big names who could ignite PSG's Champions League quest.

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Riyad Mahrez

After winning the Premier League title, Leicester City were given a boost when Jamie Vardy’s proposed move to Arsenal failed to materialise. However, the confirmation of N’Golo Kante’s transfer to Chelsea has dropped a huge shadow over the summer.

That was magnified by a report from the Sun's Duncan Wright, who said Riyad Mahrez won’t sign a new deal and is looking to move to a bigger club. It would be a huge blow to Claudio Ranieri and his plans for the new season, but the Italian wasn’t admitting defeat.

“I am very confident he stays," the Italian said, according to Wright. "He wants to stay here with us. He enjoys it, he is laughing. He is not a man who says, ‘Oh coach, I want to go.’ No, he is happy.”

The report suggested the player is looking for a move to one of Europe’s elite clubs, and Paris Saint-Germain could be the perfect fit.

With Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s departure and considering the way PSG failed in the Champions League last season, signing a player of Mahrez’s ability would be a huge positive. The Algerian international would give them options all across the attack.

Under Ranieri, Mahrez excelled in attack and tracked back to help out his team in the Foxes' 4-4-2 formation. It would throw up some problems, but he could be better suited to playing on the right of Emery’s 4-2-3-1 than Angel Di Maria.

The Argentinian shone in the front three but could actually play anywhere in the attack, even as the No. 10. For PSG, it’s not just about the first XI, it’s also about boosting their options and flexibility in the final third.

Mahrez offers creativity and dynamism when things are looking dull. Combine him with someone like Ben Arfa, and PSG could be a much more attractive force.

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Paul Pogba

French superstar Paul Pogba is embroiled in a transfer saga with Manchester United. The English giants are reportedly interested in luring the midfielder back to the Premier League, with a suggested fee of around £100 million, according to Ian Herbert and Mark Ogden of The Independent.

"I am calm about the English rumours," Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri told La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Sky Sports's Allan Valente). "Anyone who has the opportunity to leave Juventus has to consider things very carefully, because right now Juve are among the top four European clubs."

"This is not a selling club that just lets its players go. Pogba belongs to Juve and at the end of the day he too will want to win another Scudetto and hopefully the Champions League," Allegri added. 

Despite Allegri’s statement, things seem to have escalated over the past few hours, as tweeted by Bleacher Report’s Juventus writer Adam Digby.

It has been suggested that if Jose Mourinho doesn’t get his man, he could target PSG’s Blaise Matuidi instead, according to L'Equipe (h/t The Independent's Jack de Menezes). That deal could open the door for PSG to make a move for the Paris-born midfielder and seal a blockbuster move.

With both players preferring to play on the left of the midfield, it has been clear for a while that it would be difficult to fit both Pogba and Matuidi into the same team. It was functional for France at Euro 2016, but the results were never great.

Pogba would be the game-changing signing that PSG have been looking for. It would show the rest of Europe just how serious they are and would give them a huge chance of reaching the latter stages of the Champions League.

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Alexandre Lacazette

For the last two seasons, Alexandre Lacazette has been one of Europe’s most coveted strikers. Lyon have managed to hold on to the forward up until now, but this could be a summer too far for player and club.

PSG’s interest has been known for quite some time, even back in May the striker’s brother was talking about the interest from the capital club.

"Paris' interest was apparent last year. After the departure of Zlatan, they'll look to reinforce that area," he said, per Le Parisien (h/t FourFourTwo). "It's not impossible that Alexandre will go there, but it's not a certainty. We're not closing any door. For the moment, we're looking."

From playing in a two-man attack under Hubert Fournier, to his adaptation as the centre-forward in Bruno Genesio’s 4-3-3, Lacazette has shown his ability to adjust and excel in any front line.

He’s not your typical No. 9, but he can play through the middle and then drift wide and attack from the channels.

Lacazette would be able to play with Edinson Cavani and also play on his own, either as the first choice or in a rotation. If PSG want to be a top-level club, they need more options at this level rather than just back-up players.

PSG will have competition for his signature if he decides to leave. Arsenal have been linked, but Lyon’s president Jean-Michel Aulas distanced his player from an immediate move.

"I saw Arsene [Wenger] during France matches, and he has not told me," Aulas said in L'Equipe (h/t Sky Sports' Valente). "I don't think it's something and it seems Alex wants to spend this season with Lyon in the new stadium. He wants to know an adventure in the Champions League could be much better than last season. I think he will stay with us and we are very happy."

Another season with Lyon in Europe wouldn’t do him any harm, but with PSG, he would be competing at a higher level and would be surrounded by better players, with a chance to progress.

Signing any of these players would make PSG a better team and a better unit on the pitch. The current squad is good, but right now, it’s not great.