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| Leandro Paredes of PSG during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint Germain (PSG) and FC Lorient at Parc des Princes stadium on April 3, 2022 in Paris, France. |
Following a disappointing season, Paris Saint-Germain are set for a massive overhaul in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The club are expected to offload multiple unwanted stars in an attempt to press the reset button and start from scratch, possibly under new leadership as the Mauricio Pochettino and Leonardo Araujo duo has clearly failed to offer the desired impact.
As such, we could witness a mass exodus in the summer, with Leandro Paredes among the players linked with a move away from Parc des Princes, along with other stars such as Gini Wijnaldum and Abdou Diallo.
Speaking to TyC Sports in a recent interview (h/t Fabrizio Romano), Paredes was asked about his future. The midfielder raised a few eyebrows with his comment on Real Madrid.
The former AS Roma starlet heaped praise on the recently crowned Spanish champions, stating:
I’d love to play for Real Madrid one day, it’s a top club.
However, the Argentine international added he is happy with his life at PSG and has no immediate wish to leave the French capital. The midfielder also suggested how he is valued by the club and Pochettino, despite exit rumours.
I respect Paris Saint-Germain and I’m more than happy here. Every year they say on the press I’m gonna leave PSG… but I’m happy here. The club wants me, Pochettino too, said the midfielder.
Real Madrid have shown no ambition to sign Leandro Paredes in the coming summer. But it appears they should not have much difficulty agreeing personal terms with the Argentine, who is keen on plying his trade at the Bernabeu.
With Luka Modric and Toni Kroos nearing the final phase of their respective careers, one would argue Real Madrid require reinforcements in the midfield unit.
But it is unlikely they will make a move for Paredes, as Los Blancos are currently looking for younger individuals such as Aurelien Tchuameni, who can become the face the of the Real Madrid midfield in the years to come, alongside Fede Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga.
Despite supposedly being a team in ‘transition’, Real Madrid have dominated world football on all fronts this season.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side sealed the league title last week with their win over Espanyol with over four games in hand. Meanwhile, the team pulled over an unimaginable comeback against Manchester City to advance to the finals of the prestigious competition.
With the league done and dusted, the manager prioritises the European competition now.
The final against Liverpool is scheduled for later this month, and hence, it is the ideal time for Ancelotti to bench his starters, despite the next game being the Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid.
According to reports from Diario AS, the coach has decided to field his ‘B team’ against Atletico. The clash would see several key players rested and fringe players given a start.
Lucas Vazquez, Marcelo, and Jesus Vallejo are reportedly set to start in the backline on the night, with Daniel Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, and Eder Militao given a rest.
Meanwhile, it is expected that the veteran trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Casemiro start on the bench too. In their place, the likes of Federico Valverde, Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga could be given a chance.
While the combination in the front three is difficult to predict, Marco Asensio is ready to feature at Wanda Metropolitano. Combeack hero Rodrygo, too, could make the appearance form the get-go.
The Madrid derby has already got into a fair share of controversy after Atletico denied to give their rivals a guard of honour for their 35th league title. While Los Blancos will field a weaker team, it will be interesting to see how the backup players perform under pressure.
