We Hope to No Longer Rely on the Transfer Market

Liverpool spent €482.9 million during the last summer transfer window, a record amount. However, three months into the competition, the results have been disappointing. Despite signing players like Hugo Ekitiké (€95M), Alexander Isak (€150M), Florian Wirtz (€130M), Milos Kerkez (€47M), and Jeremie Frimpong (€40M), Liverpool currently sits in 11th place in the Premier League after 12 matches. The team managed by Arne Slot is struggling, bringing attention to the poor decisions made by the club’s management. This raises the question of whether money truly guarantees success, especially compared to other models that show more promise, like that of Paris Saint-Germain, the current European champion, which aims to approach the transfer market more cautiously.

Youth at the Heart of the Project

“Just because we shop a lot at the supermarket doesn’t mean we’ll become great cooks. At PSG, we pay attention to everything, but primarily we want to ensure we’re heading in the right direction; it’s not just about stacking players or jeopardizing the club’s finances; we have responsibilities,” stated Luis Campos during a roundtable discussion held by the club for the 50th anniversary of its training center. The club is determined not to repeat past mistakes—specifically, the era when QSI focused on acquiring star players like Neymar, Messi, and Mbappé. PSG is gradually moving away from such aggressive spending in the transfer market. Although they signed Lucas Chevalier, Renato Marin, and Illia Zabarnyi for a total of €103 million last summer, the Ligue 1 leaders now aim for a model that focuses more on player development.

In the presence of Yohan Cabaye, the director of the training center, and Sabrina Delannoy, the deputy director of the women’s section, Campos emphasized the importance of integrating young talent into the professional team. “We’re closer here to integrating youth. We have a pathway for players to rise through the ranks. I also attend meetings to support their training,” he added. Campos noted a significant exchange of ideas between Luis Enrique and the coaches at PSG’s Campus, describing it as a valuable sharing of knowledge.

A 100% Parisian Team in the Future?

“Luis Enrique didn’t say: ‘I’m giving you training exercises or a specific playing system.’ Instead, he talked about gameplay principles, possession, and what to do with or without the ball. He encouraged us to create our exercises based on available player profiles,” Campos said. This new approach helps young players prepare better for the first team. As a goal for the future, he expressed hope that with time and a long-term project, they would not need to rely on expensive transfers and could build a team largely comprised of players from the training academy.

This ambition is already evident in the Paris squad. Currently, 151 players are active at the PSG Campus, with five homegrown players having represented the club in official matches (Warren Zaïre-Emery, Senny Mayulu, Quentin Ndjantou, Ibrahim Mbaye, Mathis Jangéal). The players consistently demonstrate their commitment to centering the training academy in the club’s future, a strategy that also addresses the challenging economic climate faced by French football, especially following the television rights debacle. “It’s invisible to many, but very important to us. Playing young talent will benefit French football,” Campos concluded, strongly supporting the development of a U23 league.