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Why Marquinhos Is the 1 Player PSG Cannot Afford to Lose This Summer
- Updated: May 9, 2016
Paris Saint-Germain are facing a summer of significant change after a season that—until recently—promised so much progress upon last campaign but ultimately delivered little.
Although the French champions look likely to repeat last term’s domestic clean sweep, the UEFA Champions League semi-final berth that Les Parisiens’ Qatari paymasters were targeting did not materialise, and multiple changes are likely to be made as a result.
A number of players are being linked with moves away from Paris this summer, while a few significant figures are approaching the ends of their contracts with no news about possible extensions.
Marquinhos is one of those players who has been linked with a transfer away from PSG, and there had been heavy speculation that Barcelona were leading the chase for his signature, as reported by SPORT.
As recently as mid-March, the Brazil international admitted in an interview with Le Parisien (h/t ESPN FC’s Mark Rodden) that he would need to consider his position at Parc des Princes carefully this summer.
Having played backup to captain Thiago Silva and David Luiz in central defence for most of the season, the 21-year-old suggested in that interview that it might be time to move on:
Everyone knows that you need to have a period of reflection at the end of the season. We will talk about the objectives of the club and my own personal objectives. At the moment, I’m trying to be professional.
I put myself at the disposal of the club all the time at centre-back, at right-back or even in midfield. I’m trying to work to earn my place and to get game time.
Things did not get better immediately for Marquinhos after speaking with Le Parisien; in fact, things got worse. The South American lost his place in Laurent Blanc’s starting XI for the 2-2 draw at home with Manchester City in the first leg of PSG’s ill-fated Champions League quarterfinal.
Being discarded so that Serge Aurier could make a controversial return to the team after insulting his coach via Periscope, as reported by ESPN FC’s Rodden, prompted the former AS Roma man’s agent to react poorly to Blanc’s decision.
Giuliano Bertolucci, …
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