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How PSG Can Best Move Forward in the Post-Zlatan Ibrahimovic Era
- Updated: August 3, 2016
The era of Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Paris Saint-Germain is over. Signed by Manchester United on a free transfer, his talents move to the Premier League, leaving France and Paris with a huge void to fill.
Regardless of your opinion of him as a personality, there’s no denying that he raised the bar at the Parc des Princes to a level never seen before.
In his first game in Ligue 1, with PSG 2-0 down at home to FC Lorient, Zlatan decided he wasn’t going to taste defeat, scoring twice to win his new club a point. That mentality lasted for the four years he was in the French capital, and it was infectious, turning PSG into a winning club.
Time to let the world know. My next destination is @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/DAK7iYlrCq
— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) June 30, 2016
He leaves as PSG’s all-time leading scorer, with 113 Ligue 1 goals in 122 appearances. Four league titles, two Coupe de France wins, three Coupe de la Ligue crowns and three Player of the Season awards are not a bad return for a player in his 30s.
However, life goes on, and PSG have to move forward. Like any breakup, it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to take time, but Les Rouges et Bleu will come out of this better and stronger for the experience.
Instantly, PSG are much weaker in the final third. Not just with Zlatan’s absence, but with Edinson Cavani’s promotion as the main striker. Before we get complaints, yes, the Uruguayan will score between 20 and 25 goals in Ligue 1, but that’s not where he, or PSG, will be judged.
Edinson Cavani: Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic (78) has missed more clear-cut chances in the last 4 Ligue 1 seasons than Cavani (64)
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) August 1, 2016
In three seasons, Cavani has scored 12 goals in the Champions League, via WhoScored.com. However, only two of those strikes came in the knockout stage of the competition. Twice against Chelsea, twice at home. Therein lies the problem that PSG have to solve.
With the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Lucas Moura, Javier Pastore and Angel Di Maria in attack, PSG will create chances. The problem they have found when it matters most is that Cavani misses too many of them.
The club is in the market for a centre-forward, and per ItaSportPress (h/t Football Italia), they have been linked with a move for Alvaro Morata. But as reported by Ligue1.com journalist Matt Spiro on Twitter, Le Parisien think his Spanish teammate Jese might be the more likely signing.
#PSG close to sealing deal for Jese but chances of landing Lacazette ‘tiny’ as relationship with Lyon continues to deteriorate (Le …
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