Transfers – PSG: Seven legendary players very close to signing!

Before Qatar's arrival at the head of PSG in 2011, many international stars seemed to have come very close to a transfer to the Parc des Princes. Leonardo mentions this Tuesday in the columns of Le Figaro the example of the Brazilian Pelé, but there are other cases in the history of PSG. A quick overview of the incredible opportunities narrowly missed by the Parisian club in the transfer window.

In a wide interview given to Figaro, Leonardo announces that the PSG had been very close to signing the king Skingreat legend of Brazilian football, just after its creation in 1970: “ Relatives of the club's founders told me that in the 1970s, PSG wanted Pelé. It's not by chance. This is the DNA of Paris and PSG. The glitter. What shines and makes you dream », confides the former player then sporting director of PSG. The Ile-de-France club therefore seems to have missed Skin narrowly, and this is not the only example in Parisian history before the arrival of Qatarin 2011.

Roberto Carlos was close to PSG

Last August, in an interview with the media Carré, the FIFA agent Franck Henouda revealed that Roberto Carlos had come close to engaging with the PSG in the 90s: “ Luis Fernandez, he was entering his second year as coach at PSG. I remember, we are at his apartment in Paris and he says: “I want a left back”. I give him the tapes. Luis, who is a guy with an eye, he looks and says: “This one is a monster (…) We agree on the price, 3 million Dollard. It's okay. Now you have to talk to the player. I'm calling Roberto Carlos' agent. We discuss, we agree on everything, everything is ok “. But ultimately, for a story of quota of foreign players, the PSG missed Roberto Carlos who ended up getting involved with theInter Milan.

Ronaldo, Stoitchkov… Denisot missed out on something big at PSG

In 2014, at the microphone of The Channel THE TEAM, Michel Denisot recounted some failed operations during his presidency at the PSGwhich concern in particular Christo Stoitchkov, Jürgen Klinsmann and the Brazilian Ronaldo : « Yes, I have been in contact with Ronaldo. He arrived in Europe, the phenomenon was obvious, I spoke about it with Pierre Lescure and we had a strategy at Canal at the time. As it was with the money of the subscribers that we financed PSG, the Marseille subscribers did not want (…) We actually hired Klinsmann. He signed for PSG and stayed two days. At the time we signed Klinsmann, I learned there was an opening for Weah in Monaco. We switched the two with everyone's agreement. All this was done jointly and I only met Klinsmann at the Nice airport when he was arriving and we were leaving (…) Stoitchkov? I went to Barcelona for a week. His agent at the time told us that it was possible so we agreed, we signed the contract before the transfer was made, which happened… We signed an agreement in any case. And, then, Barcelona took us for the beginners that we were and told us “no, no way”. Joan Gaspart, the vice-president who was the boss, turned us away and we returned to Paris without Stoitchkov “, revealed Denisotwho narrowly missed three legendary players in the PSG.

Zidane targeted by PSG in 1994

In THE EVENING TEAM, Luis Fernandez revealed that he had tried the big deal Zinedine Zidane au PSG : « When I arrived at PSG, I was often told that Rai had to leave. That he was going to Japan. At the time, I met Zidane and Dugarry to find out if they were available to come and play for PSG. They told me yes. But we extended Rai and we were happy to keep him. I was proud to have become his coach “, he confided.

Kaka close to PSG in 2003

Questioned in the columns of So Foot in 2016, Kaka revealed that the PSG could have been his first European experience when he arrived from Brazil in 2003: “ When I agreed with AC Milan to sign there, Leonardo was the sporting director of the club. As Leo had excellent relations with Paris, and like me I had arrived at Milan very young, the idea was to loan me to Paris Saint-Germain for a while in order to give me playing time so that I could return to Milan. with more experience. But ultimately the club decided to keep me in the squad so that I could be at Ancelotti's disposal ».