4 moves PSG need to make in the January transfer window
By Tom Gott
How do you even improve this PSG squad?
Sure, performances haven't always been great, but Mauricio Pochettino boasts the most terrifying squad on the planet and they're 13 points clear at the top of Ligue 1. There really isn't much you can do to make this team better.
Having said that, PSG obviously aren't perfect, and there are a handful of things they need to get sorted in January.
1. Sell the deadwood
PSG's focus in January will be to trim the wage budget and reduce the size of the squad.
Rafinha has already joined Real Sociedad and Sergio Rico, Thilo Kehrer, Abdou Diallo, Layvin Kurzawa, Leandro Paredes could all be shipped off when all is said and done.
After that's done, we can start humouring the idea of new signings.
2. Keep Xavi Simons happy
Most of the talk about PSG in the summer of 2022 has revolved around Kylian Mbappe's expiring contract, but he's not the only player close to leaving for free.
Young midfielder Xavi Simons, who is among the most wanted teenagers on the planet, is entering the final six months of his contract, and PSG must prove they want to keep him.
Simons doesn't want money, but rather a clear path to the first team. He's played just one minute in Ligue 1 since joining the club in 2019, and that absolutely has to change.
3. Start working on a new striker
Drawing Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 was the worst thing that could have happened to PSG as it has dragged on the circus that is Mbappe's future until March at the earliest.
All the signs suggest Mbappe is going to leave as a free agent, so starting to find a replacement should be part of their January plans, whether that be an immediate signing or simply the groundwork for a summer arrival.
Expect PSG to keep trying to convince Mbappe to sign on, but at this point, it's looking unlikely.
4. Extend Angel Di Maria's contract
Amid all the excitement surrounding PSG's superstar front line, Angel Di Maria has been forgotten about by the casual fan, which is massively disrespectful towards the man who has been the team's best performer other than Mbappe this season.
His contract winds down in 2022 and Di Maria must not be allowed to walk away. The veteran Argentine might be the smallest name among the forwards, but he continues to shine at a high level and has carried his superstar team-mates at times.
There is hope that Di Maria will sign an extension soon enough, and PSG need to get that sorted as quickly as possible.