Thomas Tuchel Says Edinson Cavani Is 'Stronger' After Staying at PSG in January

Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel said he has seen an improvement from Edinson Cavani now the transfer window is no longer a distraction.

Cavani is in the final six months of his contract at the Parc des Princes, and he was linked with Atletico Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United in January, but he remained with PSG.

Per Goal's Sacha Pisani, Tuchel said after PSG's 4-2 win over Lyon on Sunday:

"Whenever there's competition it's good. We need all the players. I've always said that.

"You can feel that Edi is stronger in training at the moment because things are clear after the [market]. It's been like that for a few days now.

"He made a very good entrance [in the game], he put in a very important goal. It's good for him and for us. Because we need all the players with experience and quality like Edi. That's necessary. They are in good shape and that's good."

The striker was most heavily linked with Atletico, and football journalist Fabrizio Romano reported Cavani is set to join them at the end of the season.

However, after the window shut, Atleti president Enrique Cerezo appeared to aim a dig at Cavani's brother and agent, Walter Fernando:

Fernando hit back in an interview with Cadena Ser (h/t Goal), saying Cerezo was not involved in any of the talks over Cavani and that Atletico owed their supporters an explanation as to why the player did not move there. He also said the Uruguayan would have moved to one of the interested Premier League sides if money were the biggest issue.

Injury and Mauro Icardi's arrival on loan from Inter Milan have limited him to just 16 appearances this season. He made the most recent of those on Sunday against Lyon, and he wasted no time in making an impact off the bench:

It was his sixth strike of the campaign in all competitions and his first Ligue 1 goal since August 18. 

The goal left the forward, who will be 33 on Friday, one short of 200 for PSG.

Icardi is likely to be Tuchel's first choice in the Parisians' biggest games this season—such as their forthcoming UEFA Champions League last-16 tie with Borussia Dortmund—given he has scored 18 goals this season, but a focused Cavani will be an excellent asset during the run-in.