Five PSG flops who shone after leaving

Robin Bairner

• 24 Feb 2022 12:38 GMT
• 3 min read

Paris Saint-Germain have had their share of star players over the course of last decade, which has encompassed the reign of QSI.

Headlined by the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani in previous years, PSG are now spearheaded by superstars Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi.

The Argentine is discovering that life in Ligue 1 is not as straightforward as billed, but he is not the first player to have that revelation in Paris.

Goncalo Guedes

Portugal international Guedes arrived at PSG billed as one of the next big things in world football back in 2017. His time in Paris proved to be both short and torrid. He survived only six months, playing eight league games without scoring, before being offloaded to Valencian.

Guedes discovered his best level with the Primera Division club, where he remains a key player.

Remarkably, PSG came out of this deal €10 million in profit, so it was not all bad for them.

Lucas Digne

Lucas Digne is now regarded as one of the foremost left-backs in the Premier League, where he has caught the eye for Everton and Aston Villa with his buccaneering style down the flank. It has not always been so easy for the 43-time capped France international, though.

He struggled to find a place in PSG’s starting XI during his two seasons at the club and was ultimately shunted to Roma on loan before moving to Barcelona.

It was his move to Everton in 2018 that really saw him rise to prominence.

Hatem Ben Arfa

Hatem Ben Arfa arrived at PSG in the summer of 2016 as a free agent, having excelled for Nice the previous season. He was quickly ostracised in Paris and barely figured.

During his second season of a two-year deal, he spent the entire time in the reserves, apparently happy to pick up a large wage at the expense of the club, who he was at open war with.

Upon leaving at the end of his deal, he immediately took up a starring role again, this time with Rennes.

Giovani Lo Celso

There was much expected of 19-year-old when he arrived at PSG in 2016, though over the course of a three-season stay at the club, he failed to deliver.

He caught the eye during a loan spell with Real Betis, who ultimately signed him on a permanent basis before moving him on to Tottenham. Presently on loan at Villarreal.

Christopher Nkunku

It would be hard to term PSG’s academy graduates as flops, but there is little doubt the Parc des Princes side has squandered a great deal of talent from their youth system.

Odsonne Edouard, Mike Maignan, Jonathan Ikone and Timo Weah are just some of the players to have left for a pittance in recent seasons, yet Christopher Nkunku may be the player that PSG ultimately regret leaving the most.

Nkunku is presently starring with RB Leipzig and is attracting interest from some of Europe’s largest clubs.