PSG hoped to sign Barcelona flop

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 23 May 2023 09:09 CDT
• 2 min read

Paris Saint-Germain tried to sign Zenit Saint-Petersburg winger Malcom on a free transfer in January.

French outlet L’Équipe report that sporting adviser Luis Campos wanted to bring the former Barcelona player into the Parc des Princes.

The Brazilian winger was one of the French champion's targets in the window as they tried to boost their attack mid-season following Pablo Sarabia’s departure to Wolves.

READ MORE: Lionel Messi at PSG: Goals, assists, results & fixtures in 2022-23

As well as Malcom, the club looked at Lyon’s Rayan Cherki, PSV Eindhoven’s Johan Bakayoko, and Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech, the latter of which almost signed for Les Parisiens on deadline day but a series of administrative errors from Chelsea saw the move collapse.

PSG thought they could sign Malcom for free as Campos was hoping to use the FIFA rule put into place that allows players of Russian and Ukrainian clubs to temporarily cancel their contracts there.

The rule came into place when war broke out between the two countries and is valid until the summer, in June 2023 when most contracts end or go into another year.

The trouble with signing Malcom as a free agent was that the Russian club had inserted a clause into the player’s extension which does not allow him to be a free agent during his stay there.

Zenit, therefore, demanded a €30m fee from PSG, who were unwilling to meet that.

Christophe Galtier speaks on failed move

There were also issues around the move of Ziyech of Chelsea to the French capital.

PSG head coach Christophe Galtier spoke about the move that collapsed on Deadline Day after his side launched a failed appeal to the Professional Football League (LFP)'s legal committee.

"I'm satisfied with the squad we had at the start of the season,” he said. "Unfortunately, we could have reinforced it following the departure of Pablo (Sarabia). We could not do it. I believe that the responsibility does not lie with our club. That's how it is, that's life, we look ahead."