PSG: This big problem that QSI has never managed to solve on the transfer window

Posted on July 27, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. by Arthur Montagne

Since the arrival of QSI at PSG, many players have landed in Paris and not the least. Therefore, the capital club managed to strengthen in all positions. Nevertheless, in the goals, the PSG version QSI has not always made the right choices regardless of the leaders or the coaches. Back to this big black spot of the Qatari era.

Sirigu the first issue of the QSI era

From the start of the QSI era in PSG, not everything goes as planned. In effect, Nicolas Douzarrived free from Rennais Stadium, must be the number 1 in the Parisian goals. Later during this 2011 transfer window, Leonardo attracts another doorman, supposed to play the role of understudy. Salvatore Sirigu thus disembarks from Palermo. But while the first is injured at the worst of times, namely before the start of the season, the Italian settles in the goals and will not leave his place… until 2015.

Trapp, Areola, Buffon… The galleys begin

Indeed, despite four generally successful seasons, the PSG is not fully convinced by Salvatore Sirigu. If he does not make mistakes, the Italian is not decisive enough in the eyes of the Parisian management who therefore decide to recruit Kevin Trapp in 2015. Arrived fromEintracht Frankfurt for €9.5m, the German is presented as a solid hope and must take over from the great porters from across the Rhine. However, it will be a failure. indisputable holder in his first season, Kevin Trapp will then compete with Alphonse Areola by Unai Emery during the 2016/2017 financial year. The German will remain above all as the porter of the comeback suffered at Barcelona, which makes a job on a CV. Therefore, the following season, the Spanish technician decides to decide and it is Alphonse Areola who will start in goal. But for his only season as number 1 within his training club, the French goalkeeper will disappoint. During the summer of 2018, Kevin Trapp goes back toEintracht Frankfurt while the PSG fetch the legend Gianluigi Buffon. On paper, it’s promising. But the Italian will also undergo the alternation with Alphonse Areola and his disastrous performance against Manchester United is still in everyone’s mind. Therefore, in 2019, everything has to be redone.

Leonardo solves the problem with Navas…

It was during this summer that Leonardo made his big comeback to the post of sporting director of the PSG. And one of his missions is to settle the thorny case of goalkeepers. Gianluigi Buffon did not extend his contract, and Thomas Tuchel does not seem very keen on the idea of ​​​​doing a season with Alphonse Areola in the goals. Leonardo therefore decides to scrutinize the market, and does not miss the situation of Keylor Navas. Holder during the three champions leagues won by the real Madridthe Costa Rican is now only a replacement for Thibaut Courtois. Consequently, he agrees to sign at PSG who will spend 15M€ to recruit him, all while sending on loan Alphonse Areola within the club merengue. In the aftermath, Leonardo get the loan from Sergio Rico who will be the understudy Keylor Navas. And in Paris, the Costa Rican makes everyone agree with certain exceptional performances. With Navasthe PSG will reach the final Champions Leaguethen the semi-final the following season.

… and create a new one with Donnarumma

Consequently, everything seemed to be going well for the PSG who had finally found the right solution for his purposes. But it is bad knowledge of the club of the capital to think that nothing was going to change. And for good reason, during the summer of 2021, Leonardo cannot resist a magnificent opportunity in the market. In effect, Gianluigi Donnarumma finds himself without a contract after refusing to extend to theAC Milan. And the sports director of PSGnear Mino Raiola, jumps at the chance to attract the best player of the Euro free of any contract. It must be said that by recruiting Donnarumma, the Parisian club may be offering a goalkeeper for the next ten years. But meanwhile, Keylor Navas is still there and still performing. It’s quite a puzzle which is therefore offered to Mauricio Pochettino who chooses… not to choose. Indeed, the Argentinian technician decides to share the playing time between his two goalkeepers, which will not pay off, given the error of Donnarumma against the real Madrid.

Galtier wants to restore order

Consequently, this summer, it is Christophe Galtier who must manage this thorny file. And the successor of Mauricio Pochettino quickly decided. First at a press conference for his official presentation, the French technician announced that he would appoint a clear hierarchy. Then at the end of the summer tour of the PSG in Japan, Galtier confirmed that Keylor Navas would be the understudy of Gianluigi Donnarumma : “ Keylor made important and decisive saves, he works very well. But I was very clear with the goalkeepers at the start of the season, I don’t want a rotation, I want to work with a number 1. He knows what I expect of him in his role as number 2, even if I know that deep down there is a lot of frustration. But for a club like PSG it is very important to have two very good goalkeepers.. It now remains to be seen whether the problem is definitively resolved and whether Keylor Navas will settle for a number 2 role all season.