PSG Transfer News Roundup: Parisians eager to sign Leicester City defender; Napoli monitoring Keylor Navas, and more - August 9, 2022
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) gave the other teams a stark reminder of their prowess in their Ligue 1 opener. New manager Christophe Galtier began the Ligue 1 campaign with a resounding 5-0 win over Clermont Foot.
Meanwhile, the Parisians are eager to sign a Leicester City defender. Elsewhere, Napoli are monitoring Keylor Navas. On that note, here's a look at the key PSG transfer stories as on August 9, 2022:
PSG eager to sign Wesley Fofana
PSG are eager to sign Leicester City's Wesley Fofana this summer, according to Le Parisien via PSG Talk.
The Ligue 1 giants are on the hunt for a new centre-back this summer and have their eyes on Inter Milan's Milan Skriniar. However, negotiations with Inter for a possible move have hit an impasse, forcing the Parisians to pursue alternate targets.
New sporting director Luis Campos has turned his attention to Fofana and is fuelling the club’s interest in the player. The Frenchman is likely to cost more than Skriniar, but that has not bothered the French champions. The 21-year-old is under contract with Leicester City till 2027 and is also wanted by Chelsea, who have had bids of €75 million and €82 million rejected by the Foxes.
Napoli monitoring Keylor Navas
Napoli are looking to sign Keylor Navas this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
The Costa Rica international has dropped down the pecking order at PSG since the arrival of Gianluca Donnarumma last year. His situation is unlikely to change under Galtier, so the player is looking for a move away from the Parc des Princes this summer.
Fabian Ruiz to PSG is very close. It’s actually only the Keylor Navas component that’s holding up the transfer. Told lots of different structures being discussed (both separate deals and linked). But expectation is Navas will end up at Napoli. This also means Kepa won’t join.🚨Fabian Ruiz to PSG is very close. It’s actually only the Keylor Navas component that’s holding up the transfer. Told lots of different structures being discussed (both separate deals and linked). But expectation is Navas will end up at Napoli. This also means Kepa won’t join.
Napoli are ready to offer him respite. The Serie A side are in the market for a new goalkeeper and have been linked with a move for Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga.
However, Napoli have now turned their attention to Navas instead and are deep in negotiations to facilitate a deal. The move is likely to be linked with the arrival of Fabian Ruiz in Paris.
Georginio Wijnaldum reveals Mohamed Salah role in AS Roma move
Georginio Wijnaldum has revealed that he spoke to Mohamed Salah ahead of joining AS Roma. The PSG midfielder has moved to the Serie A side on a season-long loan this summer.
Speaking to the press during his unveiling, the Dutchman said that he feels wanted by the club’s efforts to secure his signature.
“I wanted to come because of the effort the club made to sign me and because I spoke to Mo Salah and Kevin Strootman about the club and the city, and I only heard good stories about it. I also spoke to Achraf Hakimi, even if he played for Inter. He said that Roma is a beautiful club. That convinced me a lot also because I knew the club," said Wijnaldum.
He continued:
“We played once with Liverpool, and the atmosphere was amazing. I knew I’d play for a club with beautiful supporters; it was the only thing that I knew. What convinced me the most was the effort Tiago Pinto put in to sign me. I felt wanted and appreciated, and that made me make the decision.”
🚨 NEW: Gini Wijnaldum has revealed Mohamed Salah helped convince him to join AS Roma earlier this month.
"I spoke to Mo Salah and Kevin Strootman about the club and the city and I only heard good stories about it." #lfc [liverpool echo] https://t.co/y4nZN3oHti
Wijnaldum feels happy on being labelled the perfect midfielder by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
"I’ve joined a team with good players. I think my quality suits the team’s style; I can attack and defend, when I’m fit; I can do most parts of the game. It’s always difficult to say what’s the perfect midfielder. Maybe I was for Liverpool, but I understand that things can be different for another team," said Wijnaldum.
He added:
"I think everyone has an opinion about what the perfect midfielder is, but if a manager like Klopp says it, of course, I am happy."
Wijnaldum made only 22 starts for the Parisians last season after arriving on a free transfer in the summer.